A/N: Firstly, sorry for disappearing off the face of without a warning. I know this took a lot of time, but I hope it was worth the wait. End of blabber session, now enjoy the chapter.


Chapter 4

"Would any of you mind telling us what's going on here?" Emma asked, fixing both teenagers with a glare.

Beth let Henry fumble with an explanation for a moment, then sighed, knowing that the only way out for both of them was for her to open up.

"Forgive me, ma'am, it's all my fault. I made him lie to you. I just wanted some sustenance, really..." She started in the perfectly formal guilty appeal, eyes downcast, yet defiant. " I wasn't sure how Storybrooke would take to me, especially seeing that my image is already a... tainted one."

"Well, if you start my making a show of killing a guy..."

"It was a personal issue." She said defensively, looking Emma right in the eye. "But I assure you, Sheriff Swan, I mean none of the others any harm... Except perhaps Rumpelstiltskin, but you would find that my anger is justified, and I daresay more so than our dear Captain." She added vehemently, surprising them all. Emma was again taken aback by the glint in her eyes, nearly the same shade as Killian, as she spoke of him. She wondered, not for the first time, how was it that they were connected... Killian didn't show any sign that he knew her, but she...

A moment passed in silence, before Killian spoke in a quiet voice. "You'd find, lass, that the Captain has chosen to abandon his pursuit of revenge, and I would suggest that you do the same. Revenge brings nothing but dead ends and emptiness. But... this place can be your fresh start. You can build a new life here, just like all of us."

"And people will just accept me?" Beth asked, skeptical. "I am supposed to take just you - pirate, murderer, liar, cheat - your word for it?"

Emma winced. Clearly a lot of negativity.

Killian chuckled. "That's exactly the reason you should. Still here, and happy."

Emma smiled at him. Beth looked between them, and started snickering.

"Yeah, I saw what you had to do for that. Hate to break it to you, I'm not that patient." She commented, bursting into laughter.

Knowing she was making the situation worse, Henry dragged her back into the kitchen to get her something to eat.

Emma bit her lip, looking at Killian with a guilty look. "I made you work quite hard, didn't I?"

Beth snorted, and they could hear Henry hissing at her to shut up. Killian chuckled, and Emma was quick to join in.


Emma cleared her throat, breaking the two teenagers out of whatever hushed conversation they were having.

Killian and Emma took one glance at each other before turning back to the two kids, who were waiting with bated breath.

Finally, Emma spoke. "We've decided that we're gonna forgive you for your past crimes."

Both heaved a sigh of relief.

"Not that you could have kept me behind bars," she said in an undertone, "but thanks."

Henry laughed.

"Now don't get too excited, there's more." Emma interrupted.

Beth's raised eyebrow could only have reminded her of Killian. "Ahh... The terms and conditions of my release. How could I forget that."

"In a manner of speaking, aye." Killian said, "For your safety and the town's, we think it'll be better, if you stay here, with us."

A beat passed in silence.

"Live with you?" Her calm voice was in perfect contrast with her face, frozen in shock, eyes fixed on Killian as if he'd just uttered the most ridiculous statement.

Killian and Emma shared a glance.

"Look, don't take it as a prison sentence." Emma started, "We thought it'll be good for you... If you don't like it here, you could go over to my mom's, just that its a little cramped there..."

Slowly, Beth turned away from Killian and towards Emma, then sat down on an extended chair, lips quirking up imperceptibly.

"Its... just..." She started, but broke off mumbling. She sighed, "It's been a long time."

Emma gave her an understanding smile. "As we said, fresh start. Now come, I'll show you your room."


"You'll be a great queen." The minister's daughter and her best friend, Louisa, had stated.

Her nose rose slightly higher with the touch of pride. "I hope to be." She said.

'At least I won't rely on magic to solve my problems,' remained unsaid, as she glanced at her mother.

The glance didn't go unnoticed by her best friend, who looked at her worriedly. "Is everything alright, Elizabeth?"

"Of course it is." She lied smoothly, and she spotted it as easily. The minister's daughter was no fool.

"What happened, did you argue? You can tell me anything, you know..." She said.

'No, I can't,' the princess thought.

'I can't tell you my mother weilds magic.'

'I can't tell you how I hate it.'

'And I can't tell you how it has driven a wedge between us.

"Yes, we argued," is what she said, "it was something trivial, really. I was just being a child. But now I realize I can't do that anymore. I'll be sixteen in two days, I'm no longer a child. I need to grow up and stop throwing tantrums."

Louisa didn't believe her, she could see it, but she stuck to her lie. She didn't owe Louisa an explanation; she would be queen someday soon, she couldn't go explaining political decisions and balances of the royal treasury to her handmaidens, or the minister's daughter. All they did was gossip, they weren't worth it.

"My queen? My queen! Help! Help! Somebody help, please!"

And just like that, a cold wind blew, and the palace of cards she had so carefully built fell apart at her feet. And throughout the storm it was the minister's daughter who placed a supporting hand on her shoulder, and stood there to wipe her tears.


The bell tinkled as the shop door opened and closed. Gold left the vial he was studying, making sure it was properly placed, and went to attend to his guest.

"Alright, Gold. Can I know what the reason for this late night call is? Or is this just a casual chat, dark one to ex-dark one?" Emma was feeling downright cranky: it was totally not a day for a visit to Gold.

"Ah, Miss Swan, aren't we in a delightful mood." He said sarcastically. "I'd have expected a more cheery front, there's word in town that the saviour and the pirate just adopted a child, and none other than the ruthless killer who calls herself Beth. Should've known your taste when you chose the pirate."

"Cut the crap, Gold. What do you want?" Emma said, annoyed.

"You're making a grave mistake." Gold stated.

Emma snorted. "Just because you hate her - "

"Need I remind you that she was the one who attacked me?" Gold asked coldly.

"For good reason, you locked her up in your vault for ages!" Emma exclaimed.

"And it'll be better if she went back there!" Gold stated.

Emma actually laughed. "You expect me to hand her over to you, so that you can trap her in your vault? I thought you knew me better than that, at least."

"I know you enough to know you would do anything to protect those you love, no matter how extreme the step." Gold said.

Emma leaned in. "Look, the only person Beth poses a threat to is you. And guess what? Even if she killed you, my only problem will be her becoming the dark one. I don't care what history you have, unless there's definite proof of her having ulterior motives, she's under my protection."

"Oh, but dearie..." He said with a malevolent smirk, "I'm not the only one she has, ah, history with..."


All sailors, friends and foes, stood in silence.

"No..." She screamed in disbelief, shaking the lifeless body of her lover, her sailor. Her hands came back red, drenched in his blood. He wasn't breathing. He wouldn't ever breathe, laugh, give that little smirk of his she so loved...

"How could you!" She screamed, her voice cracking.

Captain Hook stood on the other end of the ship, his head still held high, though she thought she saw a twinge of regret in his eyes. It was probably wishful thinking on her part.

"How could you..." She repeated, just a hoarse whisper, losing all energy to fight.

"He stood in the way of my revenge." Captain Hook replied, his audacity to smirk setting fire to her blood. "Should have trained him better, shouldn't you have, love?"

In a flash she was in front of him, holding her cutlass to his throat. It was sheer self-restraint that stopped her.

The lightning illuminated the bodies on the deck. Nearly half their crew had been killed, all in his ruthless pursuit. So stupid, so stupid she had been for thinking that he was different, that he had a heart.

"Eve..." Captain Ed, the brother she never had, warned from behind, but Captain Hook was already calling his men off.

She couldn't help it. She let the tears flow. "I thought you were better. I thought you of all people would understand. I was wrong."

She saw it then, clear as day. The regret that flashed across his eyes, before the pirate exterior slammed back into place and he smirked. "Well, you know now. I take it you'll remember your lesson next time: never trust a pirate."

Eve actually laughed, or as well as she could in the given circumstances. "No, captain. Never trust a vengeful man witha rotten heart."

She walked back to where Ed was waiting, making sure to keep facing Hook. "You can leave, captain. You wouldn't be getting any answers tonight."

He burst into mirthless laughter, and his crew joined in. "Oh, wouldn't I? After I came all the way here, hoping for a way to get my revenge? You disappoint me, witch."

"Aye, captain, after you came all the way here and in your haste killed the one I loved." Eve stood straight, nose in the air, fire in her eyes; ever the perfect ruler. "Yes, you will not get the satisfaction of an answer from me or my crew. We choose to die first. This is our tribute to Ken, First Mate to this crew and the man I loved. He fought for love today, captain, fought to protect me. I thought that was something you stood for. And he died at your hands."

Hook at least had the shame to look away.

"Look inside you captain, and think about everything that you've done for your revenge. You'll know that you deserve this. Returning empty handed." He did. She could see it in his eyes. At least he wasn't completely dead inside, there was some humanity left... But for how long, she didn't know. "Leave, captain."

He complied, signalling his crew to return to their ship.

Eve sank to the floor, clutching what remained of her lover. She buried her face into his body, crying, crying for hours until there were no tears left. She didn't know how long it had been when she felt Ed's hand on her shoulder, and got up.

She looked out at the horizon. "I think it's time to go back."

"Back where, Eve?" Ed asked.

"The Enchanted Forest!" She shouted to him.

"Azhyrrhia..." She whispered to herself.