Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing.
Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing.

It was a long standing expected truth: Killian Jones was often left for dead, usually by people he tried to help. Despite his acknowledgment of this truth, it didn't stop him cursing the name 'Emma' as he made his way back down the beanstalk.

Oh, how he hated the name Emma.

When he reached the ground and felt the relief only freedom brought his gut immediately knotted when the chillingly cool and deceptively warm voice of none other than Cora entered his ears.

"My dear captain, it seems you've been on quite the adventure. The compass please." She demanded, her hand held out before him in waiting.

He briefly wondered which woman he hated more.

He donned his bravest face and most confidant façade but he knew it would do little against the likes of Cora.

"Yes, that, well, matters grew complicated," Cora's face was less than impressed and Killian knew that he'd already lost whatever standoff they were in, "it's alluded me for the moment – the details of the affair a bit of a bore." It didn't stop him from trying though.

Cora gave him an indulgent smile, one that seemed strange on her face but somehow suited her. Perhaps if she left her heart where it belonged it would have been as warm as it appeared.

"Really?" she asked, "stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me may seem like a bore to you. But to me it's a betrayal."

"I was going to bring it to you. Our agreement remains; we are going to Storybrooke together. I can get it back."

"I don't have time for your games. I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success."

The pirate captain stared at her almost incredulously. Where was she going with this? But he could feel the dread pool in his gut and tighten in anxiety. He was fairly sure he knew where this was heading.

"Who was it who bested you?" she asked him.

Killian tried to withhold his snarky tone knowing that upsetting her more would only lead to worse punishment. But the reminder of his loss of triumph and how close he was to losing it all made him almost bitter.

"The Swan girl." He tried not to growl, "Emma. Rest assured it won't happen again."

She laughed. "No it won't. You chose her…"

She was right. Killian had chosen her. He played both sides as well as he could. He didn't care who succeeded as long as he was on their side and was able to get to Storybrooke… to his family. The rotted evilness in Cora be damned – he'd help her if she met his endgame. But he now knew that Mary-Margaret was Snow and therefore Red's best friend making him obligated to help her in any way he could but Emma had seen to it that that would be made impossible. He knew which side he'd rather be on, which side he'd rather help but the winning side was his preferred side and so far both were head to head. He needed to appear loyal to both but Killian was nothing if not cleaver.

Cora would win. This he knew. So he would be her advocate until proven otherwise.

"…And the consequences of that decision."

"Ohh," Killian hummed sarcastically, "are you going to kill me now? Go ahead. Try."

He knew she could. He knew she probably would. But he was hoping that she would at least let him continue on his mission. He didn't like his odds but he'd be damned before he looked like a scared little boy in front of her.

She had nothing on him. She knew nothing. That meant he had the upper hand. She would make predictions on his actions that wouldn't even cross his mind because what he wanted wasn't what he'd told her.

"So brave! But no, I'm not going to kill you."

Killian was relieved but he made no physical movements that suggested such. But he knew there would be a catch.

"I have something far more satisfying in mind."

He knew it.

"I'm going to leave you here."

What?

"With your thirst for revenge…"

No, he couldn't be left here. He needed to get to Storybrooke!

"…Unquenched."

He had Red to find! He had his daughter to find! He had his family!

"While I complete our journey without you."

No, he couldn't be left here. He wouldn't.

"There's no need to be rash." He told her, trying desperately to hide his panic.

"We can," he leaned in closer, giving the heartless woman his most smoldering look, "discuss this."

He should have known it wouldn't work.

The witch smiled. "Your pretty face buys you a lot." She told him. "But not my time."

Killian knew it then. He couldn't sweet talk his way out of this or persuade his way back into her favour. She had every intention of leaving him there, in this ransacked world, while she pursued her quest.

"It's too valuable." She whispered to him.

"I can do this." He swore to her. "I can get it back - you need me."

She tittered before speaking snidely, "No, I don't. You've had your chance. Now it's my turn to do this… the right way."

He knew that she would be gone before he even got close to hurting her but he wanted to hurt her so much in those few seconds that he didn't care. She was robbing him of his family and he wanted to kill her for it. He lunged at her, hook at the ready, prepared to plunge the hook deep into her hollow chest and rip her to shreds.

But as he knew would happen, she evaporated in a cloud of purple smoke and he fell to the floor.

He didn't know how long he laid there, his thoughts rampant in his mind. His dream of living with Red and Silvia happily had just disappeared before his very eyes. His beautiful Red's soulful eyes and bright smile as she stared back at him bright and happy. A small faceless little girl with dark hair and pale skin running around and throwing autumn leaves around her. Those two girls and wormed their way into his heart were taunting him with memories and daydreams that had suddenly vanished as though it were never there.

He growled in anger and frustration and waved his hook violently at the floor over and over until he couldn't move it anymore. For the first time in many years, Killian broke down and cried.

Red. Silvia.

A strange image flashed before his mind. A little girl in his arms, a surprisingly vivid description of her face as he looked down at her looked back up at him. She held what looked to be a homemade dolly in her hand, wearing a well-made brooch that didn't suit it while sailing on a wooden boat. They ran around the room making strange sounds of ships and ocean waves and occasionally giving out a nautical term as though she were a captain. He would look to his left and see his beautiful Red sneaking into the room, what looked to be a cake in her hands as she snuck past. The vision was over as soon as it started but it was all Killian needed.

With strength he didn't know he had left - he rose from the forest floor and planted his two feet firmly on the ground.

He was going to live that life no matter what. Consequences be damned.

You ever love someone so much you thought your little heart was gonna
break in two?
I didn't think so.
You ever tried with all your heart and soul to get you lover back to
you?
I wanna hope so.
You ever pray with all your heart and soul just to watch her walk away?

What Killian was about to do was among one of the more despicable things he's ever done and he'd done a lot in his time. How he managed to sneak into the dungeons without Cora of all beings noticing he'd never know but would forever brag about if he survived it.

He looked down at the girl in front of him. She was a pretty little thing – when she was unconscious… But she was unbearably loud, self-righteous, annoying, stupid and incredibly naive when awake. He wasn't exactly looking forward to waking her up but that naiveté she had in spades would be his saving grace.

That was if she bought his tall tale and fell for his charming words.

"Wake up. Wake up, girl." He whispered, watching intently as she slowly stirred.

Despite her stirring form that she still had full control of, the girls heart felt heavy in his back pocket and he was tempted to shove it back into the girls chest and wipe his hands clean of this plan. But it was too late now and he wasn't going to stop because his morals were screaming at him.

He was a firm believer that the end justifies the means and no bantam princess was going to make him doubt it.

"Wake up, sweetheart, wake up."

Bloody hell, this woman was harder to wake up than a stubborn mule!

"Wake up. Wake up!" he demanded, his voice getting rougher.

She finally seemed to have joined the land of the living so he hauled her up.

"On your feet. Hurry!"

She still seemed half asleep and followed his direction blindly until her eyes landed on his face. Recognition shined in her eyes and she struggled against him – maybe she wasn't so stupid after all.

"No, no!"

She was being too loud; he needed to shut her up before she ruined all his plans. Cora couldn't be made aware of his presence just yet.

"Are you here to kill me?"

He recanted his last statement; she was a dumb as they came.

"If I were here to do that waking you first might not be the best course of action."

She squealed as he broke her bounds.

"So what did Cora send you?"

No, but if you don't be quiet I might just have to kill you, Killian thought.

"Cora has no idea I'm here."

And Killian would like to keep it that way for now, thank you very much.

"I-I-I-I Don't- Don't under-"

Bloody Hell, Killian thought as he cut her off to end her babbling.

"I know your sleepy but isn't obvious? I'm setting you free." He told her, his tone definite and without a doubt.

"What is this some kind of pirates rouse?"

Pirates rouse? No.

A father's desperation? Yes.

"Cora's denied me passage to Storybrooke," he told her truthfully, "and my vengeance. Now I'm going to deny her wishes; starting with the compass. In pirates terms you might sound finely shot across my enemies bow."

"You'd risked your life so you could break in here all so that you thwart Cora?"

"I don't like being double crossed. Now go."

"Thank you." She whispered, quieter than a mouse.

As she rushed past him he grabbed her arm and held her back.

"You can thank me by doing me one favour."

She stared at him, her eyes thoroughly penetrating his eyes as though searching for something.

"What?" she finally asked.

"Give Em a message." He cringed at saying 'Em' but if it made them trust him more by allowing them to think he thought softly of Emma then so be it. "Tell her that the deal still stands. If she provides me passage back to her realm I swear I will help her find that dust and offer support."

"Do you really want to assist us?"

Honestly, he did. But he was a realist and helping them would be nothing but a disappointment in the long run. This girl didn't deserve what she'd go through once Cora possessed her heart that was hidden snugly in his back pocket. What he really wanted was to find his family – helping them and finding his family did not equal one another.

"It hurts Cora and helps me I shall do. Now go."

She nodded at him in thanks and fled.

Killian allowed himself a moment to wonder how in heavens name she bought that. He supposed he shouldn't be too shocked. Out of the women in that group Aurora was the most innocent and fragile. She couldn't detect any lies from him but she still needed to learn that truth wasn't necessarily such.

After all, the best of lies were truthful too.

He refused to feel the guilt that settled inside of him.

The end justifies the means, he told himself.

The end justifies the means.

Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing.
Baby did a bad bad thing, feel like crying, feel like crying.

Killian leaned on the wall, his thoughts plagued with memories of old. When the iron wrought door creaked open. In walked Cora who instantly noticed her lack of prisoner and previous henchman.

Killian really hoped this worked.

"Looking for someone?" he asked knowingly, unable to help himself.

Cora glared at him.

"Oh, Oh, don't tell me you were dumb enough to let her go."

He shrugged. "She was never going to give you what you wanted anyway.

"So you freed her and stuck around for the petty satisfaction of seeing me suffer."

That was a slight blow to his pride. He wasn't that stupid and was honestly offended that she would imply as such.

"Hmmm, watching you suffer is a tempting motivation but it wasn't that."

"Well then you must have a death wish."

Before he could even register her words he was flung across the room by her magic and trapped against the stone walls of the prison cell.

He was defenseless, even more so when she took his hook, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing just how trapped he was. No, his confidence was still oozing and he couldn't tell if it aggravated her or amused her.

She ran his own hook across his chest threateningly.

"You know I have to kill you." She told him simply.

"You should try thanking me," he shot back.

"Oh, really?" she asked indulgently, "why's that?"

"Because I've brought you a gift."

Her curiosity was instantly piqued. This he knew.

"It's in the satchel."

And so was her suspicion.

"What is it?"

"Customarily, surprise is part of the fun with gift giving. Open it." He dared her.

She did. He saw her swallow in what was possibly surprise.

"Is that…?"

"Indeed it is. With it you'll get everything you want."

She didn't wait and launched right into. She grabbed the heart of the princess and brought it closer toward her, eyes closed in concentration. He barely realised he'd been released from his magical bounds. She started whispering to the heart.

She babbled just like the princess would, if in a slightly more dignified manner, and Killian found himself bored, that is, until Cora murmured something that made him feel ill.

"… I think he cares for you."

Who, Emma? Dear God, no. that annoying traitorous bint? No thanks, he had enough problems in his life currently and adding any thoughts into that woman's skull wasn't going to make things easier. The very idea revolted him. She was the farthest thing from his type of woman. Anyway, he had Red, the epitome of his ideal woman, why would he throw that away for a fling that'd leave him more disgusted with himself than satisfied?

Oh, how he hated Cora for giving him those thoughts. He wanted to ram his hook into her throat so she couldn't ever speak again.

Instead, he chuckled as though it amused him, "nice touch that."

"But you know she won't trust you."

He shrugged, honestly not caring too much, "she doesn't have to. All she needs to believe is that I was genuine in letting the girl go, which I wager she does now."

Cora stared at him blankly, a look he'd come to believe meant she didn't agree or was suspicious. It didn't matter to him as long as she believed him long enough to get him to the place called Storybrooke.

"You're welcome."

"Impressive. You took a heart."

An event he hopes to never repeat and one that was by far not his proudest moment.

"Now you have a princess."

"Indeed I do."

"Now, can we get on with the business of going to Storybrooke? Together?"

He held his breath, this was the defining moment. If she rejected him he'd have to join Emma – despite how unlikely they were to win.

"Why not?" she said smiling. "I hate to travel alone. All we need is the compass."

"Which will soon be delivered."

He walked away; intent on his goal, knowing that soon he would find Red again and it was only a matter of time after that where he would meet Silvia.

He couldn't feel the guilt anymore because it wasn't there.

You ever toss and turn your lying awake and thinking about the one you
love?
I don't think so.
You ever close your eyes you making believe your holding the one your
dreaming of?
Well if you say so.
I hurts so bad when you finally know just how low, low, low, low, low,
she'll go.

They were chit chatting away as though they had nothing to worry about. Or, at least, that's how it looked to Killian. The four women were looking for something, obviously, if Snow's climbing the walls was evidence enough. They were throwing words back and forth, mainly about this bloody curse everyone keeps rambling on about. Yes, it's annoying and inconvenient but they should do something about it but next time without falling into a trap.

He has always been a man who believed that a man who didn't fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets – it applies to women too.

And why in God's name were they talking about ink of all things?

Cora saw the opportunity and took it without hesitation, the princess throwing the inkwell at the lever and slamming the gate shut, effectively trapping them.

They all looked up and saw Cora smiling down at them serenely and their pirate-friend-they-effectively-left-for-dead growling at them slightly. He did attempt to keep his face neutral, honest, but the Swan girl rubbed him the wrong way and he couldn't help himself.

He let Cora have fun with her little dramatics but when they finally accused the witch of stealing the girl's heart he stepped in.

"No, I did. It was a gift." He suddenly sounded very tired even to his own ears.

He just wanted this over and done with.

Cora squeezed Aurora's heart out of pure maliciousness before smiling at the women again.

"Forgive us, but Storybrooke awaits."

The witch started to walk away but Hook still had more to say.

It would appear Emma did too.

"Hook! Wait!"

If she honestly thought he'd let them out now simply because she was battering her eyes at him she had another thing coming.

"Please don't do this." She begged, annoyingly, in that superior attitude she oozed in spades, "My son is in Storybrooke, he needs me."

He felt like telling her to get in line because she sure as hell wasn't seeing her son before he held his daughter. She abandoned her child, making her the worst kind of creature in his eyes, no better than his own father. He hadn't seen anyone he loved for years and he sure as hell wasn't taking a step back so this bloody traitorous wench could take his place in line. Damn her, and her son. They've survived without one another before they'd survive again. Him, on the other hand, wasn't coping nearly so well.

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you abandoned me on that beanstalk."

He saw her eyes flash with regret for only a second and Killian knew it wasn't for not believing in him or trusting him. It was because she threw away an ally and she was now seeing the consequences of her actions. She was no better than any other pathetic pirate 'friends' he'd imprisoned for some reason or another. As least those friends didn't act so righteous.

"You would have done the same." She softly accused him.

No, he wouldn't have and he told her as such.

"Do you know what this is, Emma?" he asked her, dangling the bean in front of her.

Her eyes went wide with recognition and she instinctively attempted to grab it. "The bean-"

He ripped it out of her reach. "Ah, ah!" he softly sung in reproach. "A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquests. This… this is a lot more than a mere trinket. This is a symbol; of something that was once magical, full of hope, nobility and now look at it: dried up, dead, useless… much like you." He silently whispered at the end.

She glared at his from behind the bars.

"The time for making deals is done. Just as I'm done with you." It wasn't until after he said it that he realised how that could be perceived romantically. This only annoyed him further than what he already was.

Just as he was about to walk away, he spied Snow White glaring at him cruelly. He smirked and started to walk away before he remembered the words Red told him.

He approached the cell again and stared her dead in the eye. She stared right back with hateful eyes. He shot her his favourite grin and a saucy wink.

"You've come a long way, love, from stealing chicken from Granny's coup." He told her, tapping the bars triumphantly.

Her jaw dropped quite comically and eyes bugged out of her skull.

He walked away with that image in his mind as the love of his life's friend was given a piece of a puzzle she didn't know what to do with.

Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing.

He followed Cora and he responded to whatever she said but if you asked Killian exactly what had happened he would've shrugged and said nothing interesting. True enough perhaps, but he simply wasn't paying much attention. That was until Cora started working her magic and opening that portal.

In that moment he felt something with his entire being that he hadn't felt in a very long time. Hope. Not just the hope of getting a glimpse of Red or to have conversations with the woman he loved that thought him a stranger or even when he held Red in his arms with the hope that this was how it would be one day soon. No, this was different, it consumed him completely.

He would see Red again.

And not just with dreaded timelines or idyllic dreams but to actually be with her again. To wrap his arms around her and hold her so tightly that no one would know where who started or began, to watch the birth of his daughter whom he already loved more than his own life, to have them in his life and know that they would be there with every beat of his heart and every bat of his eyes.

So, of course it all had to go wrong.

As the portal swirled and slowly became larger and larger, as Killian's dream slow grew closer and closer the enemy appeared.

As he and Cora held the compass, moments from jumping an arrow flew and knocked the compass out of his hands. The pirate felt like screaming in frustration. Why could nothing go right for him just once?

"You're not going anywhere!" Emma screamed at them. "The portal's taking us home!"

Her mother nodded in agreement.

Friend of Red or not in that moment he could have killed her.

"The compass – get it!" Snow instructed Emma.

Killian growled. Over. His. Dead. Body.

They both ran towards the compass and quickly came head to head. Swan swung her sword at his and he quickly blocked it. She was untrained, he realised quickly, an amateur. This would work in his favour. He parried her aggressive if slightly wonky thrusts and returned an expert one of his own. Underestimating her just enough, she kicked him in the gut and winded him momentarily.

Okay, he decided, an amateur in swordplay but not in combat.

This was taking too long he decided so he quickly disarmed her as he had many others before. Unexpectedly, the second the sword left her hand she charged at him with a feral scream but he managed to catch her just in time and flip her onto the ground with what looked to be a painful thud.

She crawled towards her sword, arms flailing desperately in an attempt to grab it. He caught her leg with his only hand and tried to drag her away from it. It was harder than in looked with her kicking and screaming but for a one-handed pirate he was pretty impressed with himself.

He heard another bow notch which shouldn't surprise him but for some odd reason he felt compelled to watch this one and thank God he did. All he could see was the satchel flying. His heart dropped in his chest as he watched it fall closer and closer to the portal.

That was the princess' heart, the one he stole and was partially responsible for what happened to it.

Shit, it was going to fall in it!

He released Emma without a second thought and he reached out over the portal with his hooked hand and he prayed he would catch it. It came closer and closer and Killian's hands trembled as it swayed to and fro. He moved his arm slightly and it was secured in his hook. He released a heavy sigh of relief.

He noticed Emma was armed again but it seemed a momentary lapse of fighting occurred as he threw the satchel to the warrior woman. She looked confused but oddly grateful but clearly wanted an explanation.

"I may be a pirate but I've always hated the thought of a woman losing her heart."

True and also false but it seemed to satisfy so what did it really matter?

"Unless it's over me." He had to add, unable to help himself.

He did have an image to maintain.

He watched Snow and the warrior woman argue about what to do but eventually it was decided that the woman would take the heart to the princess and put it back to where it rightfully belongs.

"I had no idea you had such a soft side." Emma almost taunted.

And this was why he liked this woman less and less each time she opened her judgmental little mouth – she always downplayed his actions - even when they didn't mean anything to him.

Confident or not no man likes to constantly be put down by a woman who was probably bitterer than him.

"I don't. I just like a fair fight."

Why try to be nice to her when she's already painted a horrid image of him? Besides, it was a fun role to play.

They began their dance with swords again.

As they moved around Killian couldn't help but make small critiques with the way she fought – much like he did with Baelfire when he first came aboard his ship.

"Good form," he told her, "but not good enough."

He messed with her balance and he threw her onto her back.

He knelt down next to her, her sword cutting dangerously close to his throat but he couldn't care less. Any other woman he would have made a dark comment to. Would have said something crude with a slight wiggle of his eyebrows but as he gazed upon Swan he could only feel disgust. This woman wasn't worth his time or his breath.

"You might want to quit." He told her helpfully.

"Why would I do that when I'm wining?"

He was momentarily confused until she pulled the compass from underneath her. He felt dread for a second before he realised she wasn't going anywhere pinned beneath him with a sword at her throat.

Or at least he thought that before stars danced around his eyes and his legs collapsed underneath him with a throbbing skull.

Baby did a bad bad thing, feel like crying, feel like crying.
Ohh. Feel like crying, feel like crying.
Ohh, feel like crying, feel like crying.

If Killian kept having these dreams he would go mad.

It was blurry, although what could he expect when he'd been whacked over the head with – what was it a rock? He hadn't seen.

But Red was in front of him that was for sure.

He showed her the bean but no recognition showed on her face, only curiosity.

He cradled her face, not caring that he couldn't really send her this message;

"I'm coming."

Baby did a bad bad thing, baby did a bad bad thing.

When he finally woke he almost wished he hadn't. His head was thumping worse than if he'd drank a barrel of rum all on his own and his legs couldn't support his weight. For a moment he swore he saw two Cora's but banished that thought because if there were two there'd be a pretty deadly battle going on now – not a staring contest between them.

But he had a purpose now, a win for this losing situation. He scurried onto his feet and walked towards Cora.

She stared at the spit of land that once held the portal but was now nothing but dirt.

"We failed." She told him as he made it up next to her.

Any other day he would have scoffed and made a long speech about how she was lucky to have him. He was too stuck on the idea of finally finding Red though. Oh, how he would be there soon.

"Really, Cora, why do you still doubt me?" he asked as he dangling the bean in front of her.

She looked at him doubtfully. "That beans petrified. It's useless."

He smirked, oh how he loved being the clever one.

"But these waters have regenerative properties. Perhaps it's time to do some gardening."

As he sailed his ship and he saw the land his lady-love was on Killian felt an old stirring in his bones, a familiar tweak in his heart and an accustomed determination in his mind. He looked over at Cora who was looking ahead happily, or as happily as a heartless woman could. She still believed he was here only for revenge. Oh, how wrong she was. He was quite proud of himself for hiding the truth from her for so long honestly.

Looking through his compass he marveled at how the world had changed. Even at first glance barely anything was familiar. He hadn't had a proper look last he was here but he could see it all now. He had half expected Red to be the first thing he would see but quickly dismissed that thought as foolish.

He wanted to smile widely in victory that he had finally succeeded but refrained from doing so in front of Cora.

"Here it is." He wasn't sure if he was stating a fact to Cora or trying to convince himself this was really happening.

"Storybrooke."

She took the words right out of his mouth.

A/N: … Okay, I am sooooo sorry I vanished off the face of the planet there are a lot of reasons! However, I am back now and will hopefully update sooner than I did last time. I also apologise for the length but the next one should be pretty lengthy. You would also not believe how hard it was for me to find these episodes to watch. As an Aussie we don't get much access to certain U.S websites. ABC just won't let us watch their videos. And a huge thanks to everyone who sent me links in the reviews - only issue was most of you didn't put spacing so FF just blanked them out but thanks anyway! Thanks for sticking around everyone! Just remember that there's no way I'm abandoning any of my stories. I've still got the rest of the day to write so hopefully I'm finish half chapter of this and a full chapter of Coin Toss.

Have A Good One!

XoXoXoXoXoXoXo