ALWAYS ⇢ HENRY MILLS [1]

ten

Brooke's POV

"There!" I called to Henry, pointing at The Jolly Roger. Henry let go of my hand and ran towards the ship and I followed him suit.
"Ahoy!" Henry shouted out.
No reply.
"Is anyone here?" He shouted louder.
Suddenly a figure appeared from behind the wheel. It only took me about a second to realise it was Hook. But he looked different... his hair wasn't gelled, for once. He looked a lot more innocent and lot less confident but no more 'devilishly handsome' than he was before, I must say. What the hell happened to him?

"Careful, no one steps aboard the Jolly Roger without an inviting from its captain first" Hook explained, walking towards us.
"Are you gonna make me walk the plank?" Henry teased.
"Well, depends on why you're here" Hook replied, clearly surprised at his response.
"I need a ship to take us to the Bottomless Sea" Henry said.
"Those are treacherous waters - must be something of great value there to be worth taking the risk"
"Someone." Henry handed him a map. "Her name's Emma, she's my mum and she was put there by the queen"
"I'm sorry for you" Hook muttered. "Even if I wanted to, I can't help you- either of you"
"Why? You're a captain! Can't you take your ship wherever you want?"

Loud chuckles sounded from behind Henry, Hook and I.
I spun round as Henry turned his head.
Blackbeard, the bastard.
"A captain? Is that who he says he is? I thought I told you to swabbing the decks?" He scowled at Hook.
Henry took his hand in mine and whispered. "Be careful and stand back" to me.
I nodded and began to take a few steps back.
Blackbeard's eyes met mine and he smiled. "Now, now. Aren't you a pretty one?" Henry stood in front of me, blocking my view. "Stay away from her"
Blackbeard chuckled again. "It's okay, boy. I'm not interested in her" I stepped out from behind Henry so I could see again and squeezed his hand.
"Now, Hook. Where were we?"
"I-I'm sorry Captain Blackbeard" Hook stuttered. I was right. He was totally innocent and nothing like he was before. It's Isaac's doing! He's created this! Hook no longer has his happy ending!
"Wait, he's the captain?" Henry asked him.
"Indeed." Blackbeard grinned. "Unless deckhand Hook wants to keep playing pretend... What do you say Hook? Beat me and the Jolly Roger is yours!" He exclaimed.
"Or are you still a one-handed coward?" Blackbeard asked, taking out his sword and pointing the tip at Hook.
I looked at Hook in panic. But instead of him looking back at, he turned around and ran back to the deck.
"What are doing?!" I asked Hook.
"Stand up to him! You can beat him!" Henry added.
"I'm afraid you don't know me very well. I'm sorry, I can't help you"
I groaned and tilted my head back. "C'mon Hook" I mumbled to myself.
"Then I'll have to help you" I heard Henry say.
My head darted to his direction and I saw him pick up a sword. I watched him slice a piece of rope in half. Blackbeard and I simultaneously looked up but before Blackbeard could react, something attached to that rope came and hit him right in the face, knocking him to the floor unconscious.
I couldn't help but smile because of Henry being his brave self.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?!" Hook yelled at Henry.
"Getting you your ship back. Now let's stump Blackbeard and go!"
"You think it's that easy? I can't sail this ship alone!"
"Brooke and I can help you" Henry said.
"How do you know how to sail a ship?" Hook almost whispered.
"I had a great teacher: you" Henry smiled, taking hold of my hand once I'd walked back over to him.
Hook watched Henry and I jog towards the wheel and begin to turn it.

***

"How are we gonna get in there exactly?" Hook asked us.
"We'll fight them" I said with a smile.
"Well incase you didn't know! kid, I'm a deckhand not soldier."
"Wait" Henry said. "What if we don't have to?"
Hook and I stared at Henry. "How do you mean?" Hook asked.

Just at the perfect time, the boat reached the tower. Henry and Hook let me off first and Henry followed me.
"Brooke" Henry said. "I want you to stay out here and out of sigh - hide behind a bush or something" his hands were gently held against my shoulders. "Nothing's going to happen to okay, this plan will work. Trust me, I've done before" he grinned and kissed my lips.

After I pulled away and gave him a smile. "Okay"
"Hook and I will call you when it's safe" he explained.
I nodded.

"Hook hand me a sack from your ship - an empty one"
Hook's eyebrows furrowed, then he nodded and jogged onto the ship.
"Now put it over my head. I'm going to be a prisoner" Henry instructed.
"Why are you-?"
"Just do it!"
Hook blinked a few times in shock before nodding and putting it over his head.
"Just go along with it, okay? I'm a prisoner and you're taking me in from the Kingdom of Casheak."

"Okay" Hook said, whilst taking hold of Henry's hands and putting them behind his back.