Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1

When he found her, he knew there was something different about her. He wasn't entirely sure if this was good or bad, but he approached her anyway. The first thing he noticed about her was the way her hair was a vibrant shade of red, it was almost unreal. Of course, who knew if the shade was even her own. This land was so different from the places he had been, he was sure anything was possible.

He didn't even see her face until she turned to look up at him as he approached her from behind at the end of the dock where his ship was hidden. Her blue eyes were dark, her face pale and her mouth pulled down in a frown.

"Now someone as pretty as you should not look so sad," he couldn't help but say, flashing her one of his trademark smirks. He watched as her brow furrowed, before rolling her eyes, returning her gaze to the ocean in front of them. "Cat got your tongue?"

She didn't turn to look at him, just continued to stare off in the distance without any hint of a response. It wasn't often that he didn't get a response out of someone. Getting a rise out of someone just happened to be his forte.

He ran a hand along the smooth curve of his hook idly as he continued to watch this mysterious young woman. When she didn't turn to him, he decided to give up… for now anyways. He wasn't one to just give up so easily.

He glanced down at his hands—well, his hand and his hook. Ah, his hook. While it came in handy on occasion and gave him a neat little nickname, he couldn't help but wish for that missing hand back. He turned, heading back to his boat, thinking about the day he had lost that hand. How the "crocodile" had taken it from him. But he would have his revenge; he would conquer the Dark One. Now that he was in this land known as Storybrooke, he was so much closer to finally defeating Rumplestiltskin.

As he reached the invisible stairway onto his hidden ship, he took one final glance at the mysterious redhead at the end of the dock. He couldn't help but think that she had just turned away from staring at him. Maybe he was just imagining it.

But even as he plotted his revenge, Captain Hook couldn't help but see red—and it wasn't from anger.


	2. Chapter 2

_There goes Ariel, the town idiot. _She knew no one except her was thinking that. She would actually be surprised if anyone in Storybrooke even knew her name. She just wasn't one to go out in town very often, and when she did she wasn't there for long. She preferred the comfort of her little apartment. It was cozy and there was no one there to hurt her.

She surprised herself when she ended up staying out, just sitting at the end of the dock in the local marina. Of course, not too long ago things changed. Memories she hadn't known she had had returned to her. Suddenly she was remembering a life in the ocean, a handsome prince, and an evil sorceress of the deep. She ran her hands over her legs, remembering the feel of scales beneath her hands. It was hard to imagine that she was once a mermaid; that now she walked on land, in a town that was definitely not her own.

She turned her head suddenly as she heard approaching footsteps, taking in the sight of a man with dark eyes. Her eyes traveled quickly, taking in the stubble on his face and then the hook that was where another hand should be.

"Now someone as pretty as you should not look so sad," he said. She couldn't help but instantly like the sound of his voice. It was unfortunate that he had to flash her a lecherous smirk. She rolled her eyes and looked away. "Cat got your tongue?"

_Why_ was this man talking to her? She ignored him, hoping he'd just go away, which after a minute she finally heard the sound of his retreating footsteps. She turned her head carefully to watch him walk away, heading to the edge of the dock where there appeared to be nothing there. She watched as he hesitated, preparing to step onto a set of stairs that couldn't possibly be there. As she saw his head turning, she looked away quickly, hoping the mysterious stranger wouldn't notice that she had been staring. When she turned back around a moment later though, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Things hadn't always been difficult for her. If anything, this so called curse everyone kept talking about had been a blessing. If that curse had stuck, Ariel wouldn't have to remember him. _Prince Eric._

She remembered how thinking about him had once consumed her thoughts, made her head light and heart beat faster than she thought possible. Now the thought of him just left a sour taste in her mouth and made her chest tighten. These rediscovered memories didn't help much either. She had dreamed about Eric before the curse had broken, but she hadn't known who he was. Now that she knew, now that she remembered… some mornings the dreams would be so intense she would wake up crying.

There was no way for her to escape these memories. She hoped that in time she could get over what had happened and could move on, but the return of the memories made it seem like everything that had happened had just happened yesterday.

She had heard talk around town that if you crossed the town line, that if you left Storybrooke, you would lose all of these memories from your previous life. Ariel had found herself many times standing right on the edge, wanting desperately to take that small step. Just one small step and all of her pain would vanish.

But something was holding her back. Before the curse had gone away, she hadn't known much about herself. She didn't know her family or really who she was. These memories gave her all of that. She now knew she was Ariel, heartbroken former mermaid. She could see her father and know that she was loved. She wondered if he was out there somewhere, whether she would ever see him again.

Having these memories made her yearn for the past, where everything was simpler, and she was happy and carefree. But she knew she had to do what she could with what she has. There was no easy way out of this.

It didn't take long for her to figure out what was going on in town. She may not go out often, but Ariel had a knack for overhearing important conversations. She kept hearing the names _Cora_ and _Hook_, and the tones of the people's voices were implying to her that these people were not good people. Putting two and two together, she realized that it was Hook who she had seen at the dock yesterday. It wasn't hard to figure out that the man with a hook for a hand might be known as Hook (though surely this wasn't his real name; he must have been known as someone else before the loss of his hand).

Either way, she was glad that he had barely bothered her. It seemed he wasn't someone you wanted to mix with.

Ariel was starting to notice that ever since her memories had returned, she found herself out of her apartment more and more often. She always walked in the same direction, toward the ocean as if it called to her. It made sense though; the ocean used to be her home.

She stayed away from the dock where she had seen Hook, though. She really didn't want to be stuck in the middle of anyone else's trouble. She found a small beach nearby and sat down in the sand, taking in deep breaths, enjoying the scent of salt in the air. She couldn't wait for warmer weather, when she could actually go into the water and feel its gentle caress along her skin, feel the familiarity of it.

She ran a hand through her hair; the bright red hair she wished she could just get rid of. It made her stick out like a sore thumb. She knew she could easily dye it, but before the return of her memories, she couldn't bring herself to do it because it was a part of who she was even if she didn't know anything about her past. After the return of her memories, she couldn't bring herself to dye it because she knew her father loved the red shade; it reminded him of her mother.

Ariel let out a sigh, laying back on the beach and closing her eyes. Being so close to the ocean gave her bittersweet feelings. She almost wished that she could return to her family and just forget everything else. But again, this life she had now wouldn't be so easy to give up. She was sure that if she was restored to her former mermaid self and was again living in the ocean, it wouldn't be long until she was yearning to have legs again. She enjoyed walking and running too much.

"You know, if we're going to continue running into each other like this, I think it's only fair that I know your name," Hook said, startling Ariel from her thoughts. He had seen her from the dock, her red hair a beacon in the distance. He couldn't help but take the time to be near her and admire her looks. She sure was a sight for sore eyes.

She stood up quickly from her spot on the beach, backing away from the man she now knew couldn't be trusted. Her eyes darted to his hook and he noticed, raising it slowly.

"Don't let this scare you," he said, smiling at her. "It's only dangerous if I want it to be. So are you going to tell me your name or are you just going to keep staring at me like that?"

Though she wanted to, Ariel refrained from looking away. She didn't want to give in to this stranger, no matter how much he actually scared her. She took another careful step back, trying to decide on her next actions.

She looked down at her feet for a moment, deciding to break the eye contact she had been maintaining. Finally, she looked back up, a smirk of her own on her lips.

"You'd be so lucky to know my name, Hook," she said quietly, but loud enough so he heard her. Hook watched in surprise as she turned quickly, running away from him.

Now he was intrigued.


	4. Chapter 4

_She could see him walking away from her, and as much as she tried to go after him, she just couldn't move. She was frozen to the spot. _

_She could feel her heart breaking, shattering inside her chest, and she fell to her knees silently screaming his name. Her voice wouldn't work. It was gone. He was gone._

Ariel woke up, panicked with tears already wetting her cheeks. She climbed out of bed, trying to shake off the nightmare, which unfortunately wasn't your typical nightmare. It just happened to be one of the many memories that haunted her.

She wished that just once she could sleep through the night. She was so tired.

She went into the bathroom as her tears tapered off, turning on the sink and splashing some cold water on her face. She returned to her bedroom afterward, but as she stared at the bed she just knew trying to sleep would be a fruitless effort.

She had tried sleeping pills for a bit, but if anything, those just made things worse.

Ariel went to her closet and pulled out a jacket and a pair of shoes, putting them both on before heading out of her apartment. The best way to calm herself down was to go for a walk, and she knew this time to at least stay away from the ocean though that's where she really wanted to go. She just couldn't risk running into Hook. Though she wouldn't care to admit that she was curious about the newcomer, she just knew the risk wasn't worth it.

She had shocked herself when she had spoken to him just yesterday. She hardly ever talked anymore. It's not like she had any friends here anyway. It was hard to make friends when you really just didn't trust anyone. She had trusted Eric after all, and look what that got her…

It didn't take her long to realize though that her feet were carrying her to the town line, her second go-to place. When the spray painted line came into view, she stopped about a foot away and sat down on the edge of the road. No one ever came through here, so no one would question her reasoning for being there.

It was usually while she was here, her inner dialogue would argue the pros and cons of crossing that line, but she always managed to stop herself before it got that far.

Hook wasn't really one for sleep either. But his lack of sleep was by choice. It was a waste of the precious time he could be using to exact his revenge. He was closer to the crocodile than he had been in years, and all he had time for was planning his attack.

He spent his evenings in town, scoping out the different locations. Sleep was an unnecessary distraction from this job.

But tonight was different, he had found a distraction and wasn't sure why he was letting it take him away from his task. He supposed watching a sleeping town wasn't all that important, so he was surprised when he saw it: the bright red hair that stood out even in the dark, illuminated only slightly by the street lights. He had tried to ignore her, had tried to continue on with his plans, but curiosity got the better of him.

He followed behind her quietly surprised she wasn't heading towards the water where he seemed to keep running into her. He was surprised to follow her all the way to the town line, where she simply sat not far from it.

Cora had gathered some information and had told Hook that if anyone who had been affected by the curse were to cross it they would lose their memories. He was actually kind of hoping he'd be able to use it against Rumpelstiltskin in some way.

He thought about approaching the girl, but thought better of it. He could tell she was hesitant around him, that he scared her… but something he had seen in her had him believing that she'd probably come to him at some point. He just had that affect on some people.

Besides, someone who considered losing all of their memories couldn't have much else to lose.

She had drifted to sleep at some point, but she knew it must not have been for long. It was still dark and she was cold. But that's what you get for going outside in the winter and not putting on warmer clothes.

Ariel stood from the solid ground, stretching and savoring the feeling of a few joints cracking. She headed back to town, back to her apartment, back to the bed she was afraid to sleep in.

When she was back in her apartment, she pulled out a bottle of liquor she tried to not use too much. While it did help on occasion, it wasn't something she wanted to rely on. She poured herself a drink, and made her way to the window in her apartment that overlooked Storybrooke. She took a large swallow of the drink, savoring the burn in her esophagus as the alcohol warmed her insides before pooling in her stomach.

She looked carefully at each building in her view, taking in everything that was so familiar to her. But as she finished her drink, she couldn't help but think she saw a shadowy figure and the glint of silver by Gold's shop…


	5. Chapter 5

She was there when the car hit him. Ariel had witnessed everything even if no one knew it. She was frozen by fear and shock, watching the confrontation between Hook and Gold… and poor Belle. Ariel couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to have all of those memories gone, to have no idea who anyone was or where you were.

She wished she could have helped in some way. Belle must have been terrified, having just been shot and being surrounded by people she now saw as strangers.

And then the car seemed to appear out of nowhere, Hook flew through the air before landing in a heap on the ground.

Hook spotted her almost immediately. He knew she was attempting to hide, but he saw her. The red hair that haunted his thoughts had become easier for him to spot. He turned away from her and went after his target, anger overtaking his senses.

He succeeded in getting the girl over the town line, making her forget Rumpelstiltskin. And then he was suddenly on the ground in pain. Suddenly Emma was in his line of sight.

"Hey beautiful," he choked out. "Here I didn't think you noticed—"

He let out a cry of pain as Emma place pressure on his ribs.

"Your ribs are broken," she said.

"W-Well that must be why it hurts when I laugh," he gasped. "Did you see his face? His one true love gone in an instant, just like me and the crocodile...when you took her from me."

He was attempting to get up now, Rumpelstiltskin approaching him. This wasn't over yet.

"But you took her first," Rumpelstiltskin said before kicking Hook in the face.

Ariel could watch no longer, backing further into the woods before hurrying back in the direction of town. Whatever it was that Hook had against Gold…whatever Gold seemed to hold against Hook… It all seemed to go deeper than she wanted to explore. There were just some things you shouldn't know—shouldn't want to know.

It seemed everyone had lost someone they had loved dearly. It was hard to imagine having something like that in common with someone like Hook.

Instead of heading to her apartment, Ariel headed in the direction of the dock. She knew she could go there without being bothered. Hook definitely wouldn't be returning here any time soon.

As she walked down the dock she found herself slowing, before coming to a complete spot just about where she had seen Hook disappear that first day she had met him. She looked around her quickly, making sure there was no one around before hesitantly making her way to the edge of the dock.

She stuck her foot out, moving it around in the empty air. There just couldn't possibly be anything there.

And then her foot made contact with something solid and she gasped in surprise. She placed her foot onto what felt like a stair, and pushed down. It didn't move. Reaching out a hand, she felt around feeling the wood of a step. It was definitely there, she just couldn't see it.

She backed away from the step and looked at the seemingly empty space in front of her. But she knew now, without a doubt that there was a ship there.

She wasn't sure why she had returned, why she was feeling around for the step. And in the middle of the day too! This really wasn't a smart idea. What if someone found her? What if Hook managed to make his way back?

She took a deep breath before stepping fully onto the step and carefully moved forward. Before her eyes, the ship appeared to her and she looked around in awe. It was hard to believe that this ship had been here the whole time.

Carefully, she walked around the ship, touching the many ropes and sails. She found a door leading down into the ship and she opened it, listening carefully to make sure there wasn't anyone lurking down below. When she heard nothing, she went down, finding herself in a room that looked like a makeshift bedroom. There was a bed and a desk, several locked trunks.

She headed for the desk first, noticing papers scattered across it. She had just pulled a map closer to get a better look at it when she heard voices above her. Panicking, she set the map back on the desk, not noticing that it ended up fluttering to the floor. She found a closet which had just enough room for her to squeeze into. She closed the door and crouched down into the corner.

She couldn't really hear what was going on up on the deck, but all she knew was that she didn't want to be found. She knew she shouldn't be here and she was cursing herself now for her curiosity. Why did she have this need to explore places that she should just leave alone?

Suddenly, she realized that it had gotten quiet above. A moment later she heard the door she had went through to get below deck open, followed by footsteps. Ariel tried to push herself deeper into the corner of the closet, knowing that it was pointless to try. If whoever was there were to open the door, they would see her immediately. There was nothing for her to hide behind; this closet wasn't very big to begin with.

She heard a rustling of papers and she shut her eyes when she heard footsteps approaching the closet. She knew it was going to happen, but she was still scared out of her wits, her heart pounding as the door opened. She could almost hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke to her.

"Just can't stay away, can you lass?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Now why don't you come out of that closet and come have a chat with me," Hook said, putting on an air of charm for his scared intruder. He watched as she stood from her crouching positioning, squeezing between him and the open closet door. He hadn't felt the need to make much room for her. "You're lucky. You know that, darling? Normally I'd treat a trespasser much worse than this."

He saw her eyes flicker to the stairs and doorway that would lead her above deck. She'd have to go by Hook to get there though. She could feel herself shaking slightly. Why had she been so stupid? Why did she let her curiosity get the best of her?

"I think now would be the opportune moment to give me your name, seeing as you are on my ship, without any sort of invitation," he said, stepping closer to her, wondering what had happened to the brave girl he had encountered on the beach. Here in front of him was a cowering young lady, her eyes on the ground, unable to meet his. It was silent as he waited for a reply, and then he saw her lips moving. "You're gonna have to speak up, dear. Didn't quite catch that."

"Ariel," she said, and he could hear a bit of annoyance laced within the one word. He couldn't help but let out a low chuckle.

"Ariel," he said. "Well, Ariel, since you found it necessary to climb aboard my ship this day of all days, you are most definitely in luck! You see, the _charming_ people of this town seem to be catching on to where my ship is."

Ariel's head snapped up and she glared at Hook, having an idea of where this was going.

"Now, don't look at me like that," he said, feigning hurt. "The thing is, you seem like someone who isn't well known around here, which is very useful to me. In exchange of me letting you go free from this ship, I'm going to have to ask that you accommodate my needs and allow me to hide out in your home. I think that's only fair."

"No," she said. "No, that is absolutely not happening."

"Good to know you've found your voice," Hook said. "But I'd reconsider your position in this matter. Your life could depend on it."

It was then that Ariel noticed that Hook no longer had his hook. Her eyes jumped to the stairs again. She knew he was injured… how much damage could he really do?

Without thinking much about any possible consequences, Ariel took off running towards her escape, but she should have known it would be a pointless effort. Hook wrapped his arm around her front, his hand pushing her away from her exit. She stumbled back, falling backward, her head hitting something hard, causing her to lose consciousness.

When Ariel woke up she was extremely confused as to where she was and how she had gotten here. But as she sat up, the memories flooded back and she looked around frantically, ignoring the ache in her head. Hook was sitting at his desk, watching her and it was then that she realized that she was in his bed.

"'Bout time you woke up, lass," Hook drawled. "I was worried I'd have to find a new place to hide out."

She shot him a glare, moving to the edge of the bed and placing her feet on the floor. She felt around on the back of her head carefully, until she came across the spot on her head that she had hit. There was a large bump there and it was quite sore. She stood up carefully.

"I need to go to the hospital," she said, taking a step forward, eyes carefully trained on Hook.

"Sorry, love," he said. "I'm afraid you'll have to do without. I can't go with you and I can't risk you getting away from me. You'll be fine, really."

"Well, then, can we at least get going to my apartment?" she snapped. She couldn't believe she was actually going to let this happen… though she really couldn't see any way of getting out of it. It was now that she wished she had been more social during her time here in Storybrooke.

"Ooh, you're a feisty one aren't you?" Hook said, sending her a smirk and a wink. "I like that."

Ariel rolled her eyes and started to head for the stairs to bring her back up to the deck. She saw Hook from the corner of her eye picking up a bag of his belongings before following her out. She noticed that it was getting dark, which she supposed was good. It'd be a bit easier to sneak Hook into her apartment. Though she was sure no one would notice—no one ever noticed.

"_A mermaid? You're a mermaid?" She cringed at the disgust in his voice. How could someone she loved—who claimed to love her in return, be so sickened by what she was? She wasn't different from these people. She wasn't an animal, yet she felt like she was being treated like some sick, diseased wild thing that had wandered where it didn't belong. _

"_Eric—" she whispered, reaching a hand out and placing it on his arm. He pulled away from her, turning his gaze from her._

"_Don't touch me," he said. "You'll leave the castle immediately. Pack your things."_

_As the door slammed behind him, leaving her alone, she ran a trembling through her hair. Where would she go? Where could she go? There was no way her father would have her back. She didn't even know if there was a chance of becoming a mermaid again. The tears began to fall in a storm down her face…_

Ariel woke up, sitting up carefully as she tried to dry the real tears from her face. She was glad to note that her head didn't hurt quite so much, thankful for things such as Advil and ice. She took in a shaky breath before climbing out of bed.

She opened the door to her bedroom quietly, peeking out at the couch where Hook was currently sleeping. The moonlight fell from the window across his face and Ariel thought he looked a lot less scary like this.

She wanted desperately to go out for a walk, to get some fresh air, but even though he was sleeping she didn't trust Hook alone in her apartment. So instead, she went straight for the liquor. It probably wasn't the best idea, but she needed to take the edge off after her dream.

Once her drink was mixed, she sat at her little kitchen table, and cracked open the window that was there. She took a deep breath as the cold air breezed across her skin. Feeling slightly better, she took a couple gulps of her drink. As always, she hoped that just once she could sleep through the night.

Hook wasn't really sleeping. He had been thinking about his revenge, up until he heard Ariel crying softly in her room. When he heard movement, he had laid back, closing his eyes and listened as she wandered back into her kitchen. He had heard the sound of clinking glass and the sound of liquid being poured.

He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. He thought about getting up and talking to her, but even he knew when someone probably wanted to be left alone. It wasn't long after that he heard her wandering around again. He closed his eyes as she entered the living room. He knew she was watching him, and then she was moving again.

When he opened his eyes again, she was at the large window in front of the couch, her back to him, and a glass in her hand. He could smell the liquor, lingering lightly in the air. He watched as she took a long sip, staring down at the street below her.

There was something about her that just looked sad. He couldn't help but be curious about what made a pretty girl like her look so worn out. Though he was typically good at reading people, she herself was quite the mystery.


	7. Chapter 7

Ariel was making herself some breakfast when Hook startled her. She hadn't realized he was directly behind her.

"Smells delicious," he said, mouth close to her ear. She jumped, her back bumping into his front. His good hand found a place on her hip, either to steady her or have an excuse to touch her… she wasn't sure. "Easy, darling. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again."

She grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand from her hip before spinning around and pushing him away from her.

"Don't touch me," she spat.

"Playing hard to get? I like that."

Ariel huffed in exasperation, turning back around to finish cooking her eggs.

"Would you like anything to eat?" she asked. She wasn't sure why she was worrying about being polite… she shouldn't have bothered asking him if he wanted any food. She should have made him fend for himself, but it was too late now—she'd already asked.

"Whatever you're having would be wonderful," he said. She turned to stare at him and was glad to see that he had sat himself at her kitchen table, instead of hovering uncomfortably close to her.

Once the food was done and doled out onto two plates, she brought them to the table and sat down to eat.

They were silent as they ate, Ariel staring a hole into her plate as Hook watched her.

"There a reason you were wandering around in the middle of the night?" Hook finally asked, breaking the silence.

"There a reason you're not minding your own business?" Ariel shot back.

"I don't think you're one to talk, lass," he said. "You definitely were not minding your own business when you trespassed on my ship."

"How long are you going to be staying here?"Ariel snapped, ignoring what he had said.

"Probably just until I have my revenge," he said.

"Revenge?" she asked. "On who?"

"Let's just say the crocodile who took my hand," he said, raising his arm where he had placed a fake hand in place of his missing hook. Ariel could sense there was more to the story, but she chose not to ask. She really needed to try and distance herself from this man—he was dangerous and she knew she couldn't trust him.

It wasn't until after Ariel had taken a shower and gotten redressed that she realized that Hook was gone. She was surprised, but she wasn't going to get involved. Whatever that man was up to, she didn't want any part of it. At least with him not here, she didn't have to worry so much.

She started to wonder if he was even coming back, when he didn't return that evening, or the next day, or the day after that. She tried not to think too much about it, but she wished she would know if and when he was coming back so she could at least be ready.

Ariel woke as per usual from one of her lovely dreams, the memories that seemed intent to haunt her for a long time. She wiped at her face with a tissue from the box she had started keeping by the bed. She seemed to be waking up crying a lot more often.

Nothing was working. Not the walks, not the liquor, nothing.

She wasn't as shocked as she expected to be when she saw Hook sat on her couch, one of her glasses in his hand filled with what she could only guess was some of her liquor.

"Hook?" she questioned, her voice still thick from crying. She cleared her throat as he turned his gaze upon her.

"Killian, sweetheart," he said. "Call me Killian."

Ariel furrowed her brow in confusion. He just didn't seem quite like his usual self. She saw that he had his hook back. He turned his head back in the direction of the window and threw back the rest of his drink.

"Would… would you like another drink?" Ariel found herself asking. "I was just about to go make myself one."

"Do you always get up in the middle of the night to make yourself a drink?" he asked, holding the glass out for her to take.

"Not always… but probably more than I should," she answered quietly, taking his glass. "I don't know why I bother though. It doesn't fix anything."

"Aye," he replied, his eyes meeting hers. Even in the dark she could see that they were blue. "I'll agree with that."

Without another word, Ariel went into the kitchen and fixed each of them a drink. She handed Hook Killian his drink and she took hers over by the window.

"What are you looking at out there, lass?" Killian questioned from the couch. She turned to look at him.

"Nothing in particular," she said. "Just the town. It's kind of comforting."

She stepped away from the window and sat on the couch, at the opposite end of the couch from Killian. She sipped her drink, thinking how odd this all was.

"Do you have anyone here in town?" he asked after a few minutes.

"No," she answered. "I'm all alone here."

"Is that why you can't sleep?"

"I'd rather not discuss that issue."

"Well, if that's the case I'm sure we could think of plenty of other things to do with our mouths besides talk," he said. And there it was; he was back.

Ariel finished her drink with a sigh and stood up.

"Goodnight, _Killian_," she said, leaving the living room to bring her glass back to the kitchen before returning to her bedroom. Killian was still sitting on the couch when she walked by. He didn't look at her.

As Ariel lay in her bed, she found herself starting to think that there was more to this pirate than she previously thought.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day Ariel found herself at the liquor store. The empty bottle of _her_ liquor had been sitting on the kitchen counter and Hook (Yes, Hook; she would call him Killian when he deserved to be called by his proper name) had been gone when she woke up.

She looked around the different shelves, deciding to get herself some vodka. Hopefully this would help. She stopped when she saw the bottle of Captain Morgan sitting on the shelf in front of her, and just because she'd get a laugh out of it, she bought it for Hook. She'd have to find some way to make him pay her back.

She paid for the alcohol and left the store, heading back to her apartment. She knew that she should probably find a job in town. She had been surviving on a bank account in her name, with a good amount of money in it. She wasn't entirely sure where it had come from, but she knew it probably had something to do with Prince Eric—she had been given a large amount of money by his family to keep quiet about the whole ordeal and somehow after the curse had been put in place, that money had transferred over to this new world.

When she arrived back at her apartment, she was surprised to find Hook there, staring out the window as she usually did.

"You have a decent view of the town from here," he said when she entered. "This may just actually come in handy."

He looked at her and smirked. She rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen with her bag from the liquor store, unsure of how to just give him the bottle of rum. She sighed to herself and pulled both bottles out of the bag. She put the vodka where she normally stored her liquor before carrying the rum into the living room.

"I got you something," she said, holding up the bottle. "Though I'm not sure you deserve it."

"I'm sure I could earn it in some form," he said, winking at Ariel.

"Do you ever stop with the flirting?"

"Rarely," he said, taking the bottle from her hand, fingers grazing her own in the process. He stared down at the bottle momentarily before unscrewing the top and taking a large gulp straight from the bottle. He made a face. "Not the best, but it'll do."

Ariel stood staring at him as he took another shot of the rum. He put the lid back on and handed the bottle back to her as he returned to the window.

"You're welcome!" Ariel said sarcastically, bringing the bottle into the kitchen and placing it on the kitchen counter. She stood there for a moment, taking in a deep breath and running a hand through her hair. After a moment, she went back into the living room and grabbed her coat. "I'm going for a walk."

She left the apartment without waiting for whatever response Hook was coming up with. She just needed some fresh air, needed to get away from the pirate—which she had to keep reminding herself that he was, in fact, a pirate. He wasn't exactly going to be polite and say thank you for things. It was just something she'd have to get used to.

She made her way to the ocean, walking to the end of the dock and sitting down, feet hanging over the edge. It was amazing just how much the ocean could calm her down. The smell of salt and the sound of waves were the best remedy for any of the thoughts plaguing her mind.

If she hadn't been so relaxed, she probably wouldn't have dozed off and most likely would not have fallen off the edge of the dock. But that's exactly what ended up happening.

Ariel awoke with a jolt just before her body hit the water, the ocean biting into her skin with its intolerable icy temperature. She flailed her arms, kicked her legs, but she wasn't used to being in water in this form. Swimming wasn't so simple when you had two legs instead of a fin. She could feel the current pulling her down no matter how hard she tried to keep her head above the water, her arms extended to the edge of the dock.

She could feel her finger tips scraping against the edge of the dock as she choked on the icy sea water. She tried getting air into her lungs, but all she could feel was the coldness of it all. Her body was already feeling numb and she was slowly slipping downwards.

When she started seeing spots, she felt something warm wrapped around one of her hands. She could feel herself being pulled—in which direction she wasn't sure…

She sat up quickly, vomiting water and bile onto the dock. She was shivering uncontrollably, unsure of where she was or how she had gotten there. Suddenly a thick blanket was wrapped around her, before a pair of arms lifted her off the ground. It took her a minute to realize it was Hook who had her, but at this moment she was thankful just to have someone helping her.

With a shaking hand she attempted to pull the blanket closer around her, pressing her face into Hook's shoulder as he carried her back to her apartment.

When they were safely inside, Hook set her gently down until her feet touched the floor. She gripped his arm as she tried to stead herself, the other hand attempting to hold the blanket around her.

"You may want to put on some dry clothes," Hook said, he eyed her dripping clothes. "If you need help, I definitely wouldn't mind undressing you."

"Y-you're un-unbelievable," Ariel got out as she continued to shiver uncontrollably. "C-can y-you help m-me to m-my room?"

"With pleasure," Hook said, wrapping an arm around her shaking frame and walking her into her room. Once inside, she leaned against her dresser as Hook gave her another once over. "Sure you don't want any help?"

Ariel shot Hook a glare, and he let go of her, smirking at her before leaving the room. She was surprised he actually closed the door behind him as well.

Reluctantly, she let the blanket fall from her shoulders as she attempted to peel off her wet clothes. It took some time, but eventually they all ended up on the floor. She then pulled out some dry clothes, getting dressed in dry underwear before slipping on some sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt. She carefully pulled on a thick pair of socks before realizing she'd have to do something about her hair, which was still wet.

Carefully she left her room, still shivering, and made her way to the bathroom. She glanced around her apartment, noticing that Hook had taken off again. Once in the bathroom she used her hair drier to dry her hair as much as she could. She just didn't have the energy to hold the hair drier for long. Giving up, she grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair back before heading back to her room. She climbed into her bed, curling up under the blankets and savoring the warmth she was starting to feel returning to her body.

At some point she dozed off, not caring what her dreams might bring her. Instead of sour memories, Ariel's dreams were filled with her family and friends, smiling and laughing with her. It was the happiest her dreams had been in a long time, but she still found herself waking abruptly. She realized after a moment that Hook was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Feeling better, sweetheart?" he asked. She stared at him for a minute, surprised that he actually seemed to be concerned about her. After a moment she nodded her head. He raised the glass he was holding in his hand to his lips, taking a long sip. She could smell the rum. He stood up from her bed and made his way to the door.

"Thank you, Killian," she said. He paused at the door, glancing back at Ariel for a moment before exiting the room. She knew she probably wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for him. That alone showed her that he wasn't the pirate she thought he was.


	9. Chapter 9

Ariel had managed to sleep through the night and when she woke up, she wasn't sad and she felt well rested. She had no idea what time it was, but she knew she had been asleep for a long time. She decided that it would be a good day to stay in, bundling up in a fresh pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. She brushed through her hair, attempting to untangle it and noticing that it was gritty and smelled like the sea. Normally this would comfort her, but right now it just reminded her that the ocean was no longer a safe haven for her.

She gave up brushing it and decided to jump in the shower and wash it. The more she thought about it, the more helpless she felt about the whole situation. The ocean had been her home for such a long part of her life, and now it had almost taken what was left of her life away from her. It was a hard fact to grasp that she couldn't swim, these legs still not completely familiar to her.

It was as she was drying her hair that she started to cry. Knowing that she couldn't swim and that the ocean was dangerous to her… It just made her feel like she had lost a loved one. When her hair was dry and she was back in her warm clothes she went straight to the kitchen and made herself a drink. She drank it quickly before pouring another one and taking it into the living room. Killian wasn't here and she was kind of thankful for it. He put her on edge and she really just wanted to relax.

She grabbed a book from her bookcase and sat on the couch with her drink.

She was awoken when Killian tried to take her book from her hand.

"Where have you been?" she slurred, rubbing at her eyes.

"Just attending to some business," he said, smiling down at her. He looked away, looking around the room before picking up Ariel's empty glass from the coffee table. He raised it to his nose and sniffed it. "I see you've been drinking."

Ariel sat up slowly, the room spinning slightly as she ran a hand carefully through her hair. She rolled her eyes as she stood up.

"You know, you roll your eyes at me quite a bit," he said.

"Well you give me plenty of reasons to roll my eyes," she said, taking the glass from his hand and walking to the kitchen. She finished what was left in her glass and put it in the sink. She wanted to pour another drink, but even in her current state she knew that probably wouldn't have been a good idea.

She focused her eyes on the bottle of Captain Morgan on the counter, noting that it was getting low. She'd probably have to pick up another bottle soon.

She turned around quickly, which was a mistake, because Killian was right there and she stumbled slightly as she tried to avoid him. Killian caught her before she could fall over, though, his good hand gripping her waist while his hook rested gently on her hip.

"Easy there," he muttered. "Don't need you putting yourself in harm's way again anytime soon, sweetheart."

"Well, wouldn't you say my being around you so much is a bit dangerous?" she asked. Killian laughed.

"I'm only dangerous when I need to be," he said, eyes darting to her lips before returning to her gaze.

Ariel attempted to back up, but found the counter right behind her. She gasped at the impact of it, and watched Killian warily as he leaned in. He hovered there, watching for her reaction, his lips so close to hers, not touching. She could feel his hot breath there and when she saw his intentions to close the gap, she turned her head quickly, his lips grazing the corner of her mouth and stopping on her cheek. They stayed like that for a moment, Ariel slightly shocked. Killian sighed before stepping away from her. He reached behind her and grabbed the bottle of rum off the counter.

Ariel watched as he went into the living room before following him hesitantly. Killian sat on the couch, unscrewing the top off of the bottle before taking a long drink from it. Ariel moved in the direction of her bedroom quietly. She spared him one last glance before going into her room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Once she was in bed, she realized that whatever had just happened had managed to sober her up and for the first time in a while, she found she couldn't sleep because of something else other than her haunting dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

_She had caught her first glimpse of him as he had hovered by the edge of his ship. She floated just under the surface of the water, watching, fascinated by a life she had never known she wanted until just then. It had truly been love at first sight._

_She had followed the ship for a while until it docked and as she peeked her head above the waves of the salty ocean she could see the castle in the distance. She had watched for hours, as the ship was unloaded, as the handsome man went down a path she couldn't follow. It was almost unreal, the sadness she felt in that moment. _

"_Well aren't you the brave little mermaid," said a voice from the nearby dock. Her first instinct was to dive underneath the water, but something about this man watching her held her curiosity. "I can help if you want, dearie."_

_She turned to watch the retreating party, the handsome man among them._

"_I want to walk on land," she said, swimming slightly closer to the dock. She eyed the strange quality of his skin, his yellow eyes, and his wicked grin. Normally she probably wouldn't have trusted him, but he was presenting her with possibilities she never thought possible. _

"_It shall be done!" he said, "but, it will take a great deal of magic, and magic comes with a price!"_

_She swam closer, hands now reaching to clasp the edge of the dock._

"_I'll give you anything!" she said, lifting herself slightly out of the water. "Name your price."_

_He rubbed his chin, thinking as he observed her._

"_A single scale from your fin, ought to do it," he said. She lowered herself back into the water, glancing down at her fin as it fluttered easily through the water. Ariel reached down running her hand over the smooth scales, before grabbing one between her fingers and pulling. She flinched slightly at the small pain she felt before reaching up and handing it to the man on the dock. _

_The man let out a gleeful laugh as he took it, placing it in a pocket in his jacket._

"_I hope you're ready," he said. "The transition isn't easy."_

"_What's your name?" she asked quickly, curiosity getting the better of her, as usual._

"_Rumpelstiltskin." _

Ariel wasn't surprised when Killian wasn't there when she woke up. She was kind of glad of it, truth be told. After last night, she kind of needed some time to process everything that had happened lately. She saw the empty bottle of Captain Morgan on the counter, and was quite aware that her own bottle of liquor was getting low, so she decided to get out of the apartment today to do some shopping… she needed groceries too.

Before picking up supplies, Ariel decided to stop by Granny's for breakfast, walking in and taking a seat at a booth in the corner. Ruby came over with a friendly smile and took her order. Ariel thought that maybe if she trusted people more, they would have been friends. She glanced at the entrance to Granny's as she heard the bell chime, signaling that someone had come in.

The newest patron at Granny's looked around the diner, eyes finally meeting Ariel's. They stared at each other for a moment, and much to Ariel's shock, she watched as the Evil Queen herself came towards her.

Ariel had never interacted with the mayor before, but she had heard enough about Regina to know she wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. Ariel was glad she had never done anything to be caught in her wrath… at least not yet anyway.

"I don't believe we've ever met," Regina said, flashing her best publicity smile as she slid into the opposite side of the booth. Ariel could see through her though, could see the hint of suspicion in her eyes. "May I ask your name?"

"Ariel," she answered hesitantly.

"Ariel," Regina repeated, thinking. "Ah yes! The mermaid! Well… former mermaid."

Ariel was unsure how to respond, so instead asked the obvious, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"No," she said, another false smile. "I just never realize who the curse affected. Do you have any family in town?"

"No," Ariel said, looking down at the table.

"That's too bad," Regina said. She watched Ariel carefully, curious about this girl who had managed to stay off of her radar for so long. She stood from the booth. "Be careful out there…There are a lot of awful things going on lately."

Ariel looked up just in time to see Regina leaving. She felt thoroughly confused, unsure of why the mayor would suddenly be interested in her. She hoped she didn't suspect anything about Killian…

She left Granny's before her breakfast had even arrived, heading straight back to her apartment, plans of shopping forgotten. Killian was there when she got back.

"Everything all right, sweetheart?" he asked as soon as the door was closed behind her.

"I don't know," she said, glancing at him. "Regina just came up to me at Granny's and started to talk to me."

"What did she say?" he questioned. Ariel told him of the brief conversation she had with the mayor. "Did she seem like she had any idea about me hiding out here?"

"No, I don't think she suspected," she answered, sitting down on the couch in the living room. "It seemed more like trying to just get general information on me… but I just don't know. It was weird."

"Interesting," he said, sitting down on the couch too. "Well, I also come bearing news. Apparently several residents of this town have grown magic beans. Seems there are plans brewing to return to our land."

Ariel looked at him in surprise.

"That's possible?" she asked.

"Yes," Killian said. "The beans open portals that can take everyone back to our lands."

Ariel rubbed a hand over her face, looking towards her window. Going back. She had never thought it would be a possibility… but now here it was. But did she even want to go back? Was there even anything for her to go back for?

"I don't think I would go back," she said finally. She stood up, heading to her bedroom, just wanting now to lie down.

"May I ask why?" Killian said as she reached her doorway.

"There's nothing for me there," she said.

"And here?"

"There's nothing here for me either, but at least here there are less reminders of what I've lost."


	11. Chapter 11

"_You're a mermaid?" She shivered at the feel of cold steel on her throat, sliding down to her collarbone. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when the threat was removed. A moment later, however, the point of his hook was pressing gently into her jean-clad hip. "How'd you manage to lose the fins, sweetheart?"_

Ariel woke suddenly from her dream—it had just been a dream, not some haunting memory and she felt some relief from that. It took her a moment to realize that it hadn't been the dream that had woken her, when her apartment gave another violent shake. She hopped out of bed and went to the living room, straight to the window overlooking Storybrooke. She gasped when she saw the vines coming out of the clock tower and a tree bursting up through the middle of one of the streets. What the hell was going on?

It was in that moment that Killian came bursting through the door and Ariel turned and met his gaze.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked.

"Well, to make it as simple as possible, basically there are two people dead set on destroying this town and the people in it," Killian answered, stepping over to the window to see what was happening at the moment. Ariel watched him carefully. "I'd say they're easily on their way to getting what they want."

"Isn't there any way to stop it?" Ariel questioned, dread filling her stomach.

"Plans are being arranged for the people in town," he said. He turned his head to look straight at Ariel. "I have a way out of this, if you care to join me."

Ariel looked back out the window, watching as people hurried down the streets.

"What about everyone in town?" she asked.

"Arrangements are being made for them," he said. "But if you want to survive this, we need to go now. And as much as I hate to say this now, you might want to get dressed."

It was then that Ariel realized that she was only wearing a t-shirt and underwear. She felt her cheeks redden as she spared the streets one more glance. She sighed and looked back at Killian.

"Give me a few minutes to pack too," she said, heading to her bedroom quickly.

"So where exactly are we going?" she asked, as she followed Killian to the docks.

"You remember those magic beans I was telling you about?" he asked. He didn't wait for her response, "I managed to get a hold of one. We have no choice to return to our world. We won't survive here now."

They were at the docks now, and Ariel could see that Killian's ship was now visible. They climbed aboard and she watched as Killian immediately began preparing the ship to sail.

"Do you know which land we're going to?" she questioned.

"No," he answered. "Do you have any preference?"

"No," she said. She was still trying to figure out how she felt about this, about going back—even if she didn't know where she was going. She'd still be closer to the family she had left than she had been for a long time. Everything was happening so fast that she didn't even have time to process what was going on.

Before she knew it, they were heading to open sea, Storybrooke growing smaller and smaller in the distance. She stood by Killian as they moved forward, he looking straight ahead as she looked behind them.

"You're sure everyone will get out of there?" she asked. Killian glanced down at her, meeting her worried gaze. They stared at each other for a moment before he looked behind them, staring at Storybrooke now. She could tell he was fighting something within himself.

Ariel watched as several people climbed aboard the ship—they were people she knew, but who didn't know her. They stared at her in curiosity: Emma, David, Mary Margaret… and then there was Regina and Mr. Gold. She could see they were surprised to see her but they didn't say anything.

She followed Killian to the helm of the ship. He turned to her when she was right next to him.

"You do not have to come now if you don't want to," he said, glancing to meet her curious gaze. "The town is safe now."

"What's going on then?" she asked, glancing at the new passengers on the ship as they conversed quietly. "Where are you going?"

"A boy has been taken—Henry," he said. "I'm taking them to rescue him."

"Where was he taken?"

"Neverland," Killian said darkly. Ariel stared at him as he glanced out at the sea. She looked down, a heavy feeling settling in her stomach.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and said the two words she didn't think she would ever say in a situation such as this: "I'm coming."


	12. Chapter 12

Ariel watched in awe as the portal opened up in the ocean once Killian had thrown the magic bean into the ocean. The latest members of the ship were in position, pulling ropes and preparing for the trip to Neverland. She didn't think she'd ever be ready.

She glanced at Killian as he started to move the ship towards the glowing hole in the water. She grabbed onto some rope that didn't appear to be attached to anything important and braced herself for whatever was about to happen. Just as they were about to go over the edge of the portal, she shut her eyes—and then they dropped. She could feel her stomach flip as her hair whipped around her face. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, knowing that if she were to open them she would instantly regret it.

And suddenly it was over. She knew it was over without even opening her eyes. She could feel the difference in the air, in the smell… A warm breeze caressed her cheek and there was thunder in the distance. She opened her eyes finally, finding that it was nighttime in Neverland. She could hear the others discussing their next move, but all she could see in front of her was an expanse of darkness and the silhouette of rocks and land in front of her every few seconds because of the lightning cutting across the sky.

It all felt so familiar to her… but at the same time completely foreign. She stood at the edge of the ship, hands braced against the railing as she held her breath waiting for that next bolt of lightning. Seeing those rocks… She could remember sitting there with friends, with family, fin skimming the water as they watched the storms roll in. She could hear the songs they would sing.

She closed her eyes. As the thunder boomed above her she could feel the familiarity of the memory as if it had happened yesterday.

"You seasick, sweetheart?" The familiar voice jolted her back to reality, and she looked at Killian as another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. It was strange, seeing him completely serious in this moment—she had expected there to be the usual smirk, but all she saw was concern. She wiped at her eyes, realizing that she had been crying.

"I'm fine," she said quietly. She knew that he knew she was lying, but she didn't want to discuss her past and she was sure he didn't want to hear it. She jumped when she felt his hand brush a few stray hairs out of her face.

"We're going to head towards land before this storm really gets started," he said after a moment. "They tend to get pretty bad here."

"I know," she whispered, looking back towards the rocks.

"So, I don't think we've met before, but I'm Emma."

Ariel looked at the blonde woman in front of her. She knew exactly who she was but that was because Ariel knew who everyone is. She was good at staying out of sight, and even better at finding out information that she felt was important.

"I'm Ariel," she said after clearing her throat. They were getting closer to shore; it hadn't started raining yet, but Ariel knew it wouldn't be much longer. She watched as Emma stared at her with curiosity.

"Like, 'The Little Mermaid,' Ariel?" she questioned.

"Something like that," Ariel answered. "But not exactly."

"Sorry if you don't want to talk about it," Emma said. "I'm still getting used to fairytales being real."

"It's fine," she said. "I'm sure you're finding that our stories aren't exactly true to what our realities are."

"Definitely," Emma said, suddenly distracted by the fast approaching land. She noted the look of worry on the woman's face.

"I'm sure we'll find Henry," Ariel said quietly. Emma looked back at her for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the land.

"I hope you're right," she said.

_It felt like her body was ripping into a million tiny pieces and there was no way to stop the pain. It felt like her lungs were collapsing, unable to draw in air. Through the pain she could taste the salt on her tongue as the water invaded her mouth in a way that was unfamiliar to her._

_It was sweet relief when she finally blacked out._

_She came to with clear blue eyes staring into her own in concern. She sat up quickly coughing up water on the beach beside her. It was then that she realized that the person hovering nearby was none other than the man she had been watching before Rumplestiltskin had come along. Rumplestiltskin!_

_She immediately looked to where her fin used to be and instead found two long and perfect legs stretched out in front of her. Hesitantly she reached a hand out to touch them._

"_Are you okay?" the man asked. She glanced at him and smiled._

"_I'm perfect."_

Ariel woke up from what should have been a happy memory, but instead she just wished Prince Eric had never found her there on that beach.

She sat up in her bunk, looking around at the other beds where the rest of the group was sleeping. Of course, Killian had his own room and his own bed—he was the captain after all. They had found a place to dock the ship a few hours ago and had decided it would be best to get some sleep before they went searching for Henry. The fact that it was still night and that it was storming would only make the search that much more difficult.

Ariel got up from her bed and left the bunk area. She was glad she had come to help and face her own fears, but right now she wished she was back in her apartment. At least there she knew where the alcohol was.

When she opened the door to leave the bunk area, however, she almost knocked over a bottle that had been placed by the doorway. She picked it up, looking at it closely before pulling the cork out of the top. She sniffed it, finding that it was alcohol. She couldn't help smiling to herself. She was sure Killian had left it there for her, knowing she would eventually go looking for it.


	13. Chapter 13

When the sun started rising and everyone was awake, gathered on the deck of the Jolly Roger, they began planning where to go from there. They decided it would be best to split up for now, to go through the nearby villages to see if they could find anything out… see if anyone may have seen Henry, or Greg and Tamara. Just anyone or anything that could help them. Any bit of information would be useful—the only thing they knew for sure was that they were in Neverland.

It was decided that Emma, Snow, and Charming would be one group, and Regina, Gold, Hook, and Ariel would be another. They split up once they were away from the ship, one group going towards one village and another group going to another.

Ariel walked a few steps behind her own group watching them as they walked silently toward whichever village they were heading toward. Regina turned her head and saw that Ariel was walking on her own. She slowed down a bit so that Ariel would catch up to her.

"Aren't you from Neverland, Ariel?" Regina asked. Ariel noticed Killian turn his head ever so slightly, knew he was listening now.

"Yes," Ariel answered after a moment.

"Interesting," Regina murmured. "Mind me asking where you got your legs?"

"I'd rather not," she said. She glanced at Gold, before looking at Killian, noting they were both listening to their conversation. She glanced at Regina. "Maybe some other time."

Regina was staring at Gold, a smile on her face.

"I'd love to hear it." Ariel could tell she'd already figured it out

Each place they stopped was the same. Regina showed the shop owners a picture of Henry, asked if they'd seen them, told them who he was traveling with… they all just shook their heads. They almost looked nervous when they answered.

"Why do they all look so scared?" Ariel asked Killian.

"Because there's only one place lost boys end up," he answered, looking down at her. "You should know, being from here and all."

"Are you talking about Peter Pan and the Lost Boys?" she asked, confused. "Last I heard that was the best place to end up."

"You haven't been around in a very long time, have you?" he questioned.

"Why? What's changed?" Ariel asked.

"I'd rather not say," Killian said, glancing over at Regina and Gold. He looked back at her. "I'll tell you later, but it's not a very pleasant story."

When they returned to the ship the sun was beginning to go down. Emma was leaning over the edge of the ship, looking for them. The moment they were all on the deck, Emma was watching them with worry in her eyes.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

"No," Regina answered. She turned to Gold. "There's got to be something you or I could do to make this easier."

"Can't you pinpoint more exactly where he is?" Emma asked Gold. "We were able to find Neil pretty easily with that globe."

"I'll see what I can do," Gold said.

After everyone had gone off to sleep, Ariel made her way to Killian's quarters and knocked quietly on the door. He opened it a moment later and stood back to let her in. The room was dim, a single oil lamp lit on the desk illuminating the small space.

"Sure you still want to hear what happened to Peter Pan?" he asked, as he poured them both a glass of the same kind of alcohol he had left for her the previous night.

"Yes," Ariel answered, watching him. He handed her a glass and sat down in the chair at his desk before motioning to his bed.

"You can sit there," he said, stretching his legs. She sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Killian carefully as she took a sip of the liquor. She shivered as it warmed her insides. "So, as I'm sure you know, Peter Pan originally came to Neverland to stay young, he didn't want to grow up. But, as he soon found out, as most do, you have to do more than just come to Neverland to stay young.

"When he realized he was aging still, he learned from someone in Neverland that he needed fairy dust in order stay young. And as you know, fairy dust does not last forever," he paused to take a large mouthful of liquor. "So, Peter Pan finds out after a long period of time that the fairy dust doesn't last forever, and he finds a fairy that is willing to tell him the way to keep himself young forever: Tinkerbell.

"Now, this is where things get a little dark. You see, most people are eventually fine with aging after such a long period of youth, but not Peter Pan. He doesn't want to have to keep getting large doses of fairy dust, he wants a way to have eternal youth—but it's very dark magic, comes with a price. And the price for this kind of magic is his shadow. Doesn't seem like much of a price, but his shadow, being detached from Peter Pan, takes away part of his humanity. He gets to keep his shadow, but it will never be able to be reattached. I don't know much of the details around that part of the story, but I do know quite a bit about the rest," Killian paused. "Any questions so far?"

"No," Ariel said. She could feel the dread in her stomach. She had known Peter Pan at one time and it was hard to believe that someone who had seemed so pure could go so dark.

"So the story goes, that in order to stay young forever, there is a spell that this fairy, Tinkerbell, can do," Killian continues. "If Peter Pan is to sacrifice the life of a child born from True Love, and absorb his soul, he will be able to stay young forever. The only problem is a child born from True Love is hard to come by, so instead, about once a month, Peter Pan sacrifices one of his Lost Boys to keep him young, hoping that maybe that boy was a product of True Love. Tinkerbell is able to tell once the child has been killed whether or not the child has the soul they need. The Lost Boys are still loyal to Peter Pan though, but that's because Tinkerbell is able to bind them to Peter Pan. Peter Pan usually sends his shadow to collect boys."

"That's horrible," Ariel whispered. "You don't think Greg and Tamara would take Henry to Peter Pan do you?"

"I couldn't tell you," Killian said. "But I hope for his sake that they don't."

Ariel threw back the rest of her drink, grimacing at the feel of it burning down her throat and into her stomach. Killian stood up and took her glass, refilling both hers and his. He sat back down once he had handed Ariel her new drink.

"You never told me you were from Neverland," Killian said after a few minutes of silence.

"You never asked," she answered, taking a sip from her drink.

"What's this business about getting legs?" Killian asked, eyes wandering down before returning to her face. "Were you a mermaid?"

Ariel looked away from him.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"We don't have to talk about it," he said. "Just want a yes or a no to the question."

Ariel sighed, staring down at the amber liquid in her glass.

"Then yes, I was a mermaid," she said. She finished her drink and stood up, setting the empty glass on the desk. She looked down at Killian as he watched her. Without thinking she rested her hand on the side of his face. When her eyes fell on his, she realized what she was doing and pulled her hand away quickly. "Goodnight, Killian."

She left his quarters, closing the door behind her and going to where she and everyone else was sleeping. Once in her bed, she sat there and pulled out the bottle of liquor Killian had left for her the previous night. She really didn't like being here in Neverland, but she knew there was no going back.


	14. Chapter 14

"Ariel?"

She woke with a start, could feel the tears stinging her eyes. It took her a moment to get her eyes to focus and see Emma standing over her. Ariel sat up quickly, looking around the empty cabin and noticing that it was still dark out.

"Are you all right?" Emma asked, concern laced in her voice. Ariel wiped at her eyes.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm fine, just a bad dream. What's going on?"

"Regina wants to head out as early as possible, so she got everyone up," Emma answered. "Gold is trying to see if he can get a more exact location for Henry."

"Are we leaving soon?" Ariel swung her legs off the bed and set her feet on the rough wood of the floor.

"Well, everyone but you and Hook," Emma said, giving a nervous smile. "He thinks you're still sleeping. He didn't want us to wake you up, but I came in here to get a few things and you were crying so I woke you up."

Ariel rubbed her eyes now from exhaustion.

"Any particular reason Killian and I aren't going with you?" she finally asked.

"You two are going to back into one of the towns to ask more questions," Emma said, shrugging. "Plus, I'm sure it wouldn't surprise you too much to hear that everyone doesn't exactly trust Hook."

Ariel nodded, glancing at the door to the cabin.

"You should get some more sleep while you can," Emma said. She headed for the door and opened it. She smiled one more time at the former mermaid before closing the door behind her.

Ariel sighed, knowing she couldn't go back to sleep now. She also knew that she couldn't (well, shouldn't) drink any more alcohol… it was too early now.

She stood from her bed and dug through the bag she had packed for this voyage. She pulled on some clean clothes and ran a brush through her hair, hoping she'd be able to find some way to clean herself on this ship.

Ariel went out onto the deck and was slightly surprised that everyone had already left for wherever it was they were going. She hoped that they found Henry safely.

Killian was nowhere to be seen, so she walked over to his private cabin and knocked on the door. She listened, but heard nothing. She knocked again, louder this time, and sighed when there was no response. She opened the door slowly and saw that Killian was reclined on his bed, eyes blinking open as the dim light from outside filled the cabin; the sun was starting to rise.

"Shame, I was almost back to sleep," he mumbled.

"Sorry," Ariel said quietly. "I was just wondering if there was anywhere on here where I could get myself cleaned up?"

"You'll have to heat up some water," he said, sitting up slowly, eyes squinting in her direction. "There's a tub below deck you can fill once the water's heated."

"Where do I get water and how do I heat it up?" she asked.

"There's a store of clean water where the tub is," Killian said as he stood from his bed and started rummaging around his desk. He pulled out a little glass vial with an eyedropper in it and held it out to Ariel. "This, my dear, is enchanted dragon tears. Add one drop of this to the water and it'll heat it right up."

She took the vial from him and looked at it with interest.

"How'd you get something like this?" she questioned, looking at the clear liquid with interest.

"I have my ways," Killian, smiling at her. "You want me to join you for that bath? I could help with those hard to reach places."

Ariel's eyes met his.

"Isn't it a little early for you to come onto me?" she asked.

"It's never too early, sweetheart," Killian smirked. "Especially when in the presence of such a beautiful girl."

Ariel felt her cheeks warm and she turned to leave.

"Don't spend too much time in the water, little mermaid," he said before she closed the door. "We have some walking to do today."

After Killian had managed to put together a small breakfast for the two, they set out on their own quest. They walked through the small village they had visited yesterday with Rumplestiltskin and Regina. After walking for another hour they came to a larger village, one that was definitely in a better condition than the one they'd just come from.

They stopped in each shop, asking their questions and receiving answers that were more or less the same as the answers they'd gotten yesterday. Either no one knew or they didn't want to talk about what they did know. The same fear hung in their eyes and after learning the truth about Peter Pan from Killian, Ariel couldn't blame them. She'd be scared too… well, she was scared but not like these people. Living in the shadow of such darkness brought on its own level of fear that Ariel couldn't even begin to understand.

After giving up their futile questioning and gathering up some supplies, they finally decided to head back to the ship. It was starting to get late and Killian wanted to make it back to the ship before the sun set.

"Ariel? Is that you?"

Ariel stopped walking abruptly, and Killian who had been a step behind her bumped into her, dropping one of the parcels they had just purchased.

She glanced over her should and sure enough, there he was. Eric. He looked surprised to see her, but she could see the mirth in his eyes.

"I thought that was you," Eric said, coming over to the pair, only sparing a quick glance at Killian. His eyes lingered on the hook before returning to my face. "You're the only _person_ I know with hair that shade of red."

Ariel felt her cheeks turning red to match her hair as her eyes stung with tears she wanted to shed. Even after all this time he was still mocking her in his own subtle way.

She was surprised suddenly when Killian took a protective step in front of her.

"Listen, _mate_, you should just go before I'm forced to cause trouble for you," Killian said. Eric's gaze left my face and turned to Killian before a smirk graced his face.

"You'd protect her, would you?" he questioned. "She's nothing more than a smelly fish who somehow managed to escape the ocean. She's not worth anything."

She felt Killian tense in front of her, saw his good hand twitch toward his sword. Ariel grabbed his arm.

"Please, can we just go Killian," she said quietly, trying but failing to steady her voice. "He's not worth it."

Killian glanced at Eric before bending over quickly to pick up the dropped parcels. As they turned to walk away, Ariel shot Eric one last look, wondering how she could have ever loved someone as terrible as he was. Some prince he was.

The walk back to the ship was quiet, Ariel falling behind Killian a few steps. When they returned, she was glad to find that everyone else had not returned. She wasn't even sure if they were returning tonight.

She slipped into the bunk area and closed the door behind her, going straight for her bed, she sunk heavily onto the bed, sitting there and staring down at the floor. It only took a moment for the dam to break, tears streaming heavily down her face. She pressed her palms against her eyes as she tried but failed to quiet her sobs.

She didn't understand how someone could be that terrible. Eric had loved her once… right up until the day that he found out who she truly was. Nothing but a smelly fish… was that how everyone saw her? Could no one see past the fact that she had once been a mermaid? Was this to be her burden for the rest of her life?

The door to the bunk area opened and she heard heavy footsteps coming her way, but Ariel didn't bother looking, burying her face as much as she could into her hands and trying to stifle her sobs. It was a fruitless effort, though. As she felt Killian sit beside her and wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her to him, she only hesitated a moment before accepting the embrace. She buried her face into his shoulder, not caring if she ruined any of his clothing.

"That man is scum," she heard Killian saying. "Not worth a single tear, sweetheart."

"I loved him though," Ariel managed to choke out. "I'm such an idiot."

She felt the cold, smooth edge of Killian's hook on her chin, turning her face so there eyes met. She reached up to wipe at her eyes. The tears were still coming, but not as quickly as before.

"We're all idiots when it comes to love," he said. "Now stop crying. You're not a 'smelly fish', as he put it. You're a beautiful young woman who smells better than most people."

Ariel laughed softly despite her tears.

"When did pirates get so wise?" she questioned.

"Not all pirates are wise," he said as Ariel straightened out. He pulled a handkerchief from a pocket with his hook and handed it to her carefully. She took it gratefully and wiped at her eyes before blowing her nose. "I'm just one of a kind."

"I could really use a drink right now," Ariel said, sniffling slightly as her eyes met Killian's.

"Aye, never have true words been spoken," he said, standing up. He held out his good hand to Ariel, and she took it, allowing Killian to pull her up. Once standing, however, neither of them moved and Killian didn't let go of her hand. She glanced up at him, recognizing that familiar look in his eyes. But this time she wasn't preparing to turn away.

He leaned down slightly and Ariel pushed herself up slightly on her toes until their noses were brushing and their breath was intermingling. No sooner had his lips brushed against hers than the door to the bunk area flew open with a bang as it hit the wall. Ariel pulled back quickly, almost falling back onto her bunk, if it hadn't been for Killian's hand on the small of her back.

Standing there in the doorway, the sky behind her red as the sun set and a look of fear in her eyes was Emma.

"We found Henry."


	15. Chapter 15

"Henry is only a few hours from here, he's still with Greg and Tamara," Emma said, a frown of concern evident on her face. "We only came back because we're not exactly sure what we're up against."

"What do you mean?" Killian asked, stepping forward. They were all gathered in the bunk area, standing in a loose circle as they tried to figure everything out. Ariel was sitting on her own bed though, just listening.

"We were not able to approach Henry," Regina said, crossing her arms. "There seemed to be some sort of shield around them. Gold and I tried to break through it, but this is unlike anything we've ever encountered."

"There was also… some sort of presence with them," Emma spoke up again. "The best I can describe it as is some sort of shadow."

Ariel's head whipped quickly to look at Killian.

"What?" Emma said, looking between the two. "Do you know something?"

Hesitantly, Killian told the short version of the story of Peter Pan, sharing just what kind of monster he was.

Emma sat heavily on one of the beds and placed her hands to her face, exhaling loudly. Mary Margaret sat next to her, wrapping a comforting arm around her daughter.

"There's got to be something that we can do," she said, glancing around at their group hoping someone would reveal the answer. "There's got to be some way to stop all of this."

"If there is, I haven't heard of it yet," Killian said.

"This is definitely some dark magic," Gold said, stepping slightly closer to the pirate. "You say a fairy is behind this Peter Pan's madness?"

"Pan's madness is all his own," Killian said. "The fairy just provides the means for its growth."

"Why would a fairy get involved in such dark magic?" Snow questioned, concern shown clearly on her face.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Killian answered.

The plan was simple—they would all go together to where Henry was with Greg, Tamara and Peter Pan's shadow was. They did not know how they were going to get Henry just yet, but they could at least stay some distance away from the small group until an opportunity arose for them to get closer or whenever they managed to get some answers that would be useful to their mission.

They all decided that it would be best to head out as soon as the sun started to rise in the morning. According to the group who had found Henry, they did not look like they were going anywhere anytime soon. They passed the time preparing and packing things they would need on their quest.

It wasn't until late that they decided they were ready and should try and get some sleep before they left. It wasn't certain when they would get to sleep next. There was no telling how things would go once they were nearer to Henry's location.

It seemed no one was able to fall asleep that evening, but Ariel was the only one to give up easily, crawling out of her bunk and leaving the crowded room. She went out on deck of the ship and enjoyed the feeling of the cool breeze blowing across her overheated skin. The bunk area seemed to get stuffy easily, especially when there were so many people in there.

She leaned against the rail at the edge of the ship, staring out at the open sea. Even here, just seeing the water relaxed her. Maybe when all of this was over, she could learn how to swim with her legs and she could find that love she had once held so strongly for the ocean.

And then suddenly she was thinking about the almost-kiss she had shared with Killian just hours ago. Her lips tingled at the thought, remembering how his lips had just barely touched hers. She shivered lightly, wondering where her loathing and fear of this man had gone. How quickly things had seemed to change between the two.

She glanced at the door of his cabin, wondering if he was thinking of her.

Bravely, she made her way to that very door and hesitated a moment before slowly opening the door. She entered the dark room, her eyes quickly adjusting until she could see that Killian was asleep in his bed. Despite even his own sleeping problems, he managed to doze off.

Faint moonlight managed to make its way through the small porthole above his bed, barely managing to illuminate his calm face. Ariel smiled at how peaceful and innocent he looked.

She surprised herself when she began climbing into his bed, laying down beside him and watching his face. She wasn't surprised, however, when suddenly Killian's eyes were fluttering open to stare into her own eyes.

"Ariel?" he questioned quietly. "What are you doing?"

"I couldn't sleep," she answered just as quietly. Tentatively, she reached a hand up and ran her fingers through his dark hair before settling on the back of his neck. Before he could make some suggestive comment that she was sure was forming quickly in his mind, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

Killian didn't hesitate, his left arm wrapping around her waist, the side of his hook pressing into her lower back and pushing her gently closer to him. The kiss was soft and slow, growing increasingly frantic until suddenly Ariel gasped and pulled away as she felt a sharp pain. Her hand rubbed her lower back where Killian's hook had accidentally jabbed her painfully.

"Sorry, sweetheart," he murmured, carefully unscrewing his hook before leaning over her to drop it carefully onto the floor.

"It's fine," she said. "I don't think I'm bleeding."

They both settled back onto the bed, Ariel drawing closer to Killian once again while his arm found its place around her waist. She leaned in to kiss him once more before pulling away and snuggling her head close to his chest.

She easily fell into a dreamless and comfortable sleep, and when Killian shook her awake in the early hours of the morning, she felt well rested for once.


	16. Chapter 16

Deep in the dense forest of Neverland, Peter Pan stood in the cave he used as a shelter and stared out at the boys he had collected over time—the Lost Boys as they were known by most. The title fit them too; none of them had anywhere to go, bound now to Peter Pan to follow blindly and do what was asked of them until their number was up. They served no other purpose.

Today was a special day though, and Peter grinned as he watched his boys, none of them knowing that luck had finally taken pity on them.

He was suddenly distracted by a bright light zooming towards him and his grin widened as the familiar fairy flew to his side, waiting for her to morph into her human size. If Neverland did anything right, it was producing fairy's that could actually escape the pint-sized bodies they were given, unlike the fairy's of the Enchanted Forest that Peter had heard of.

If he hadn't been so occupied with his own looks and worries of aging, Peter may have been able to admit that Tinkerbell was beautiful… but there were always more important things to talk about.

"Did you hear the news, Tink?" Peter asked, meeting the bright eyes of his closest… friend (of sorts). She stared at him in wide-eyed curiosity. He knew that she knew exactly what the news was, but she always allowed him to say it anyway because she knew how happy it made him.

"What news?" she questioned. Peter's grin seemed to broaden.

"The boy I've been looking for," Peter said. "He's been found. The boy is with two others who are of no importance to me, but he's here. And not too far either. My shadow is staying with them until they reach here."

"I'm so happy for you Peter," she said, smiling at him. Peter's grin faltered after a moment.

"So why are you here, Tink?" he questioned suddenly, looking at the fairy suspiciously. "You usually don't come unannounced unless you have something to tell me."

"The man that was found on the beach managed to escape during the night," Tinkerbell answered without hesitating. She knew Peter wouldn't be happy about this, and it was always best to get straight to the point.

"Was there no one watching him?" Peter asked, looking suddenly annoyed.

"One of the boys, I'm sure," she answered, gesturing to the boys in front of them who were going about their business, glancing nervously at the pair every so often.

"Well, find which one it was and bring him to me," Peter said darkly. Without another word, Peter turned and stalked back into his cave, the darkness enveloping him quickly.

Tinkerbell looked after him with longing in her eyes. Even after everything he had done and despite everything that he was, Tink could not help but still love this troubled young man. It was hard to believe he had loved her as well at one point. Now all he loved was youth, and Tink was more than willing to give him what he wanted. It was all she had left to give Peter that might make him happy.

* * *

They had been traveling since the sun had just barely started to rise, moving quickly with little to no breaks. They were tired, thirsty and hungry but they knew there was no time to waste. They needed to get as close to Henry as they could before he could be brought to Peter Pan.

It was times like this that Ariel was thankful she was completely used to her legs. She couldn't help but think of when she first got them, how she had stumbled around, clumsily walking around. At the time, Eric had been there for her, helping her walk, thinking she was just merely weakened from whatever had caused her to end up unconscious on the beach.

They were all silent as they picked their way through the dense forest that belonged to Neverland, focusing on not tripping and with not much breath to spare on words. Ariel didn't mind the silence either; it gave her time to think.

Her mind traveled quickly to the growing relationship between her and Killian. She wasn't sure what kind of future they had, but she was definitely going to be cautious seeing as the last relationship she had been in hadn't ended so well. Ever since Eric, Ariel found it hard to trust most people. She was surprised she had even let Killian in as much as she had.

She was sure everyone was surprised. She recounted to herself, just that morning how Emma had barged into Killian's room, clearly worried and in search of Ariel, only to find her curled up in his bed. Ariel had given the blonde women a nervous smile… and Emma, she just looked surprised, unsure of how to react to this situation. And then there were the stares from everyone else as she had exited the cabin not much longer after that. Her cheeks had burned red, matching the shade of her hair, as she averted her gaze from theirs.

She knew and understood exactly how they felt about Hook. They didn't trust him, and she knew that this was caused by good reason. But she could see that he had changed a great deal from when he had first arrived in Storybrooke, and she could tell that the rest of the group, while still wary, were softening a bit to the idea of trusting Killian, if only just slightly.

Gold was leading their group, as they marched in line through the ever thickening trees. Ariel was surprised at how quickly and nimbly Gold could move over the forest floor, which seemed to be nothing but fallen tree branches and exposed tree roots, despite his limp and cane. Regina was directly behind him followed by Emma, then Ariel, Killian, Mary Margaret, and David.

Killian was following close behind Ariel, and every so often she'd feel a firm hand on her waist to steady her if she stumbled even slightly. The first time it had happened, Ariel had flashed Killian a small smile of thanks before continuing on. It still surprised her that someone could be so kind towards her, and it really helped to show just how much Killian had changed. He wasn't merely a dangerous pirate anymore. Ariel knew now that there was so much more to him if you got past that wall he hid himself behind so well.

Eventually, it started to grow dark once in Neverland and seeing beyond the trees became difficult.

"I would recommend setting up camp here for the night," Killian said as the group slowed before coming to a stop. "Neverland is not somewhere you want to be wandering around during the night, especially in the forest."

They didn't have much to work with in terms of setting up a camp. They had each brought a blanket to at least bring some comfort from the hard ground, but they would basically be sleeping under the stars, so to speak. You actually couldn't see the stars from within the forest, the tops of the trees dense enough to block off the sky. It was lucky they had two people with them who were capable of using magic. They had been able to make some torches, using magic to light them and not have to worry about them burning out so that they could walk a bit in the darkness. Now they made a small campfire to give off some light and warmth.

Everyone set up their blankets and packs in a circle around the fire. Ariel ignored the gazes of everyone as she set her things up directly next to Killian. There was no way she was going to put distance between them, especially out here in the middle of an unfamiliar place that set her on edge. The only part of Neverland she was truly familiar with was the ocean. She didn't get to explore much when she had legs.

Eventually everyone's eyes left Ariel as they settled themselves on their blankets and Ariel laid down, trying to find a comfortable spot… or at least a position that would have less tree roots and rocks poking into her back. When she was as comfortable as she could get, she was surprised when Killian threw an arm around her and moved closer. She smiled at him, enjoying the warmth he was providing her at the moment. It was slightly chilly in the forest.

They didn't say anything, knowing that everyone else was trying to get some sleep and that they should do the same. There would be a lot more walking in just a few short hours.

Ariel was almost asleep when she thought she heard something out in the woods. She sat up quickly, startling Killian as he sat up as well, and she listened carefully.

"What is it, sweetheart?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"Did you hear that?" she questioned, not even bothering to try and quiet her voice. She could see the others in her peripheral vision propping themselves up to stare at her.

And then they all heard it: the unmistakable sound of someone running, of leaves rustling and tree branches snapping. They were all on their feet in a matter of seconds, forming a loose circle and staring out into the darkened forest where the light of their small fire did not reach.

There was no doubt that whatever was moving so quickly was headed straight towards them, and they prepared themselves for whatever was coming for them. Ariel had a firm grip on Killian's left arm, his right hand firmly planted on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it if need be.

Out of the blackness, a man appeared before them, out of breath and a wild look in his eye. They all stared at him in shock, unsure of what to do. It was Emma who spoke first.

"Neil?"


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Drama, Romance