Starlight

36

Looking to Aoife when she let out a quiet laugh, Hook frowned. "What's funny?"

"Nothing, nothing." She replied lightly. They were still walking down the same dirt track. Peter's camp it seemed was almost on the other side of the island. It would take more walking to get there, and by then they'd all no doubt be tired. Yet they all knew they wouldn't have time to be tired, there was a possible fight to come yet.

"No? You sure?" He inquired, something was clearly amusing her.

Aoife rolled her eyes up to him. "One word," she said, he raised an eyebrow interestedly. "Sentimental." To put more emphasis she used her free hand – her other hand was still lightly holding onto his – she pointed a finger at him.

"Shh," Hook frowned playfully and shook his head. "Don't need everyone hearing that."

"Ah, yes, you have an image to keep up, right?"

"That I do." He confirmed with a triumphant nod. Aoife just looked at him and laughed quietly, he frowned and looked at her. He wasn't used to her spontaneously laughing, least of all spontaneously laughing over him, or because of him, he wasn't sure what she found so funny. "What is it now?"

"Shh," Aoife hushed him, putting her other hand over his she smiled "I have a confession."

"Oh?" He asked interestedly with a smile. "Does this confession involve me by any chance?"

Rolling her eyes she hung her head. "I never took you for the sentimental type, but it's pretty...endearing." She said thoughtfully thinking of his earlier words.

"Endearing?" Hook raised an eyebrow. "Endearing? That word never gets used describing someone, least of a pirate."

"Oh no, on a whole I don't find you endearing." Aoife said shortly, this caused him to double take. "I find you being sentimental endearing." She smiled as if her words were the most obvious thing ever.

Hook smiled slowly and leaned down slightly. "On a whole, how-"

"Nah," Aoife held a hand up to silence him. "Let's not go there. We've just...I don't know, returned to how we were."

"And how were we?"

"You're twisting my words!" Aoife said trying to sound serious, only to fail and laugh.

"No, you're just saying things which can be used out of context." Hook stated while straightening up and looking around. He rolled his eyes as he heard Aoife mutter about things being used out of context, and how she'd never use his words out of context, and how he was apparently mean for using her words out of context.

A rustle from the bushes though cut her words off, slowly pulling their hands free they, along with everyone else it seemed, reached for their weapons. Lifting their weapons up ready for a possible oncoming enemy, everyone seemed to relax though as Regina reappeared with another figure. "Woah," Regina held her hands up. "It's just us." She crossed her arms seemingly unimpressed with having weapons aimed in her direction.

"Where have you been?" Emma asked curiously yet suspiciously.

Regina rolled her eyes at her words. "I've been trying to find a way of saving Henry; just so happens I've found one."

"What?" It was Mary Margaret's turn to sound curious.

"Pandora's Box," Regina looked to Gold, who was still holding the small box in his hands.

"Pandora's Box," Emma repeated uncertain.

"It has the uncanny ability to be able to contain Pan within it." Gold explained while lifting the box up so everyone could get a better look at it.

His words caused Neal to scoff, Gold looked to him confused. "Yeah, right. We're to believe you wish to use this box on Pan?"

"Of course." Gold answered.

Frowning lightly, Emma looked to Neal. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't want to use Pandora's Box on Pan. His sole objective of being here is to kill Henry, not save him." Neal explained thus earning exclaiming from pretty much everyone surrounding them. "He got given a prophecy by a seer and to prevent it from coming true, he has to kill Henry." The weapons which had been lowered had now been risen again but only in Gold's direction. "Give me the box." Neal held out his hand and stared towards Gold. It took some time for Gold to relent and step forwards. Pandora's Box got quickly secreted away into Neal's bag. After all equally looking at each other the group moved on.

"Awkward." Aoife whispered.

"No need to tell me, love." Hook glanced down at her.

Narrowing her eyes she made a popping noise. "He's Neal's father?" She was processing the information which had been bought up.

"Aye."

"Which means...oh bloody hell," Aoife hung her head in despair. "Why can't you be simple?" She narrowed her eyes up at him. "It make sense now. Everything which seemed so muddled, it has now clicked into place."

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"I don't know what you're referring to," Aoife mimicked and pointed a finger up at him. "No wonder Baelfire – I mean Neal, - opted off of the Jolly Roger. He discovered it was you who stole his mother away. Which means...oh, is this 'Dark One', the one who lopped off your hand?"

"You're a regular detective, Aoife." Hook said dryly.

"I'm right? Please tell me I'm right. I really do like to hear I am right."

"You're right."

"Get in there," she punched a fist in her hand, wincing she looked at him. "I am sorry, that was perhaps the wrong action for the moment. Can I say, he doesn't look much like a crocodile."

"He used to." Hook sighed and pushed a low hanging branch out of his way.

"You're not trying to kill him anymore?" Aoife asked interestedly.

"No, I gave up on that right when we started on this adventure."

"Good." Aoife nodded, Hook looked at her confused. Sighing lightly she ran a hand through her hair. "If I had two men who cared for me, and I equally cared for them, although evidently at different times in my life, I would not want them killing themselves over me. That's selfish, and cruel." She explained while quickly glancing up at him. She knew half the reason he wished for revenge was because of Milah. Aoife wasn't that oblivious.

"Hey," Emma said quietly while quickly jogging up to them. "I'm not interrupting am I? It seemed like you were having a serious conversation." She looked between the two.

Hook smiled and put a hand on Aoife's shoulder. "She's putting her deductive skills to the test. Quite the detective aren't you, hm?" Hook asked while patronisingly patting her on the head. She narrowed her eyes up at him.

"Sod off."

"If I did, you'd be very upset, remember? You like my company. We're on good terms again. If I go, you'll be heartbroken again." He pointed out, and seemed to get much pleasure from stating the obvious. Each word he said caused Aoife to both narrow her eyes and grow a deeper shade of red from embarrassment.

——

(Edited: 24/August/2020)