Hook's Daughter

Giant's Lair

Climbing up the beanstalk wasn't fun to say the least. It was tiring, long, and obnoxious to hear Hook flirt with Emma the whole time.
"You know," he said, after we were well off the ground. "Most men would find your silence as off putting, but I love a challenge."
"Im concentrating."
"No, you're afraid. Afraid to talk. To reveal yourself. To trust me. Things would be a lot smoother if you do."
"You should be used to people not trusting you."
"Ah, the pirate thing. Well, I don't need you to share. You're something of an open book."
"Am I?"
"Quite. Let's see, you volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated. You need to get back to a child. I understand that," he said, glancing at me.
"That's not perception," Emma said. "That's eavesdropping."
"Ah, but you don't want to abandon him the way you were abandoned."
"Was I?"
"Like I said, open book."
"How would you know that?" Emma asked.
"I spent many years in Neverland, home of the Lost Boys. They all share the same look in their eyes. The look of a lost child."
"Yeah, well. My world isn't Neverland."
"An orphans a orphan. Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it? Have you ever even been in love?"
"No. I have never been in love."
"Stop flirting," I said. "We need to hurry up."
"Fine, love," Hook said. "Let's go."

It took a while longer to get to the top. But it was silent. Hook had stopped flirting finally.
When we did get to the top, it was almost dark. The sun was going down. All around us, the building were crumbling. Some fighting had really gone on up here. There were weapons, bones, even a few bloodstains.
"Let me see your hand," Hook said to Emma when we were all standing on firm ground.
"No, no. It's fine."
"No, it's not. It's cut."
"So now you're gonna be a gentlemen?"
She asked.
"Giants can smell blood. And I'm always a gentlemen."
"Right," I said. "Continue flirting. It's not like we are in the home of a giant or anything."
"Calm, love. He's probably asleep."
"Right. When we need him to be? That's not at all lucky."
"Good point."
"So what's the plan?" Emma asked. "Let's just run in there, knock the giant out, take the treasure, and run like hell."
"Ooh, you're a tough lass," Hook said. "You'd make a hell of a pirate," he finished, taking the powder out of his pocket and handing it to Emma. When he stuck out his hand, his sleeve slid back, revealing a heart tattoo with a name in it. One that I knew.
"Who's Milah, on the tattoo?"
"Someone from long ago."
"Where is she?" Emma asked.
"She's gone."
"Gold," Emma said. "Rumpelstiltskin . He took more than your hand from you, didn't he? That's why you want to kill him."
"Among other reasons. For someone who's never been in love, you're quite perceptive, aren't you?"
"Maybe I was in love. Once."

So we had a plan. Well, somewhat. Emma was on top of a huge statue, ready to pour the dust on the giant. Hook and I were on the ground, to distract the giant. Foolproof, right?
Well, kind of. Hook picked up a sword and whacked a metal shield, making an echoing thunk sound through the areas.
Immediately, heavy footsteps could be heard coming towards us, as well as growling. Emma struggled to hold on the the talk statue.
"Oi!" Hook called. "You big git! Down here! You want to kill a human, huh? You want to kill a human? well, I'm the worst human around. So come on!"
The giant attempted to smash him, but Hook evaded his foot until Emma had the chance to throw the powder. She slid down the statue.
"He's out cold," I said.
"I don't mean to upset you, Emma," Hook said, "but I think we make quite the team."
"Let's go steal a compass," she replied. And we walked into the large giant's cavern.
"They hoarded all of their greatest treasures in here," Hook said once we were inside. "Piles of jewels and every room filled with coins." Hook reached out and grabbed some coins from a bowl.
"Let's get to it," Emma said. "The compass."
"What's your rush?"
"How long do you think magic knockout powder lasts?"
"I have no clue," Hook said stupidly.
"That's my rush."
"Too right, lass. Come. Everything we need is right in front of us."
We all started searching the room. The whole cavern was huge. It would be big even for a giant, so for a human...well, it was big. And not going to be easy to find a small compass among all the other treasure.