💋

Sam sat on the stool beside hers and leaned in close to hear her as she spoke, feeling quite touched by the sentiment. Who knew he was such a fucking romantic? He put his hand on her knee, “I feel the same. It was hard, being gone, I just wanted to look after you.” He sighed, glancing away for a second. “I just- I think I knew more than everyone else, had the best chance, you know?” Not that his knowledge had helped, there was little to no chance of his stumbling on the witch’s lair. “I just wanted to make you feel okay, again.” In a way, finding James would have done that too. He was being pulled two ways, and his chosen option might have helped two rather than one. 

Sam smoothed his hand down the back of her head, he’d vocalise his relief later when they were alone, but his relief that Rory was more herself was almost on par with his relief that Hook was back. “Careful, they might start to expect that from you.” He teased, sliding his hand down her back affectionately. Bones tried to read her thoughts as she touched his cheek, and was slightly embarrassed by the way he leaned into her touch. He couldn’t help it, he felt touch starved. Though they had touched in the interim, it didn’t hold the warmth that her touch did now. “Cheers,” He smiled, taking his own drink and taking long gulps. It had been a hell of a walk back to town. “I know we’re celebrating, but has everything been alright with you while I was gone?”

Heading into Mulligans and seeing all the joy was like being hit with a brick wall. It hadn’t been like this for so long. It was as if everything had been grey and lifeless, and Hook’s return had just turned on a warm yellow lantern. Would it stay this way? Sam doubted it, but he wanted to relish in it for as long as he could. Things had been pretty fucking awful of late, and though he had Rory, he’d had no one to discuss it with. He briefly considered that if he and Starkey were on better terms, they might have been able to handle things better, more jointly, and released some of the pressures off each other’s shoulders. 

Sam rested his free hand on the bar, looking around and noting who was around, hoping one face would be James. He wasn’t there, so he focused back on Mulligan to garner whatever detail he had so far. 

“Starkey confirmed it, he’s back.” 

“Thank fuck.” Sam replied, feeling the weight that had been in his chest for the past four months release in one go.

Rory settled onto a barstool in content when Mulligan confirmed, and gave Sam a broad grin. “That’s a relief,” she stated, in a tone that suggested that she hadn’t become a shell of who she was over the last few months. She glanced around the room, counting about fifteen pirates and adding up numbers in her head before turning back to Robert and raising her voice. “A round of drinks for all the men,” she glanced over at a booth where a few birds sat, glowering at her words. “And women,” she added, feeling in great spirits. “On me,” she added finally, drawing a few cheers from the surrounding pirates. She hadn’t been out much and had saved quite a bit from being at home most nights. 

Sam laughed at her threat, brushing her hair back from her forehead. “Let me get a word in first, will you?” He looked down at her, taking in her bright and beautiful smile that he’d been missing the past four months. He knew she was mourning, but something still twisted inside him that he hadn’t managed to give her even a moment of relief in Hook’s absence. He pushed down his feelings of inadequacy, and nodded at her suggestion. Bones ducked down first though, pressing a solid kiss on her mouth, holding either side of her jaw. “I missed you, by the way.” He told her, his time away from her always felt longer and colder than usual. After a moment of taking in her features, he turned her around and wrapped his arms around her from behind, walking her forward a few steps before falling in line beside her, arm around her shouders. 

The kiss caught Rory off guard, and a surge of warmth flowed through her; it had been some time that they’d kissed like this, and she guessed that it had to do with how she had become lately. Cold, unapproachable, sad. It reminded her of all she had been missing lately, and she wanted to pull him back to the house and just disappear with him for a while. But it was over quicker than she could think, and all she could do was look up at Sam in quiet adoration before he turned her around. “Me too,” she murmured, heading towards Mulligan’s. 

The mood of the place washed over her as soon as they entered; people were laughing, raising drinks, and looked all around more pleased than they had in months. Aurora sidled up to the bar and nodded at Mulligan who was filling a row of pints. He set them down in front of a line of pirates at the bar and wiped his hands on the towel slung over his shoulder as he walked over to them. 

“Heard the news then, you two?” Mulligan asked, leaning both hands on the bar, his forehead glistening in a sheen of sweat. “Pints?” he added, and Rory gave a nod before speaking up. 

Sam had been watching the floor as he walked, attempting to avoid eye contact with anyone that might strike up a conversation. He’d been away, had failed, and didn’t want to do his job right now. Responsiblity could be such a fucker sometimes. He jolted up when he heard Rory screaming his name, and when she rushed into him he immediately wrapped his arms around her. 

“What?” Sam asked, not sure he heard her right. “He’s back? He’s-” He trailed off, it didn’t feel real but it also hadn’t felt real when he’d disappeared out of nowhere. The witch had returned him to them. He squeezed his eyes shut and lowered with her, keeping his grip on her tight. “Thank god.”

The last few months had been nightmarish, and Sam had the unbearable weight of knowing of the Captain’s visions and his intentions to find the witch. He knew it had to be done, knew Hook wouldn’t last much longer without it, and yet he wished he’d done more. He should have gone with him, found a way to help. There had to be better solutions, but he wasn’t fast enough. Knowing what he knew, Sam had been on regular expeditions to find the Captain but it had been fruitless. It felt like he’d gone over the entire island multiple times, and yet there was never anything. He couldn’t find the Witch, no matter how often he called out to her figuring she’d come to make a deal. 

There was little he could do in his search, and there seemed to be less he could do in the port. Even less he could do to comfort Rory. That was just as upsetting as the Captain’s disappearance; the fact he couldn’t soothe the woman he loved, and the fact that she was so broken over another man. He never expected it not to upset her, but it was complicated and he was struggling to process it all. 

He made his way back to port, once again alone and miserable but glad to be returning to Rory. The port had also been a mess, he’d done his best to manage it and keep people in check but it was harder the longer Hook was gone. Starkey had done a half decent job, as much as he hated to say it, but there were so many things he could have done better. 

Sam hoisted his backpack higher on his back for comfort as he wandered out of the forest and into the port, eager to kiss Rory hello, and hope to make her smile again. 

Rory squinted bleary eyed into the sunlight, unable to properly grasp the concept that Hook was really returned. Her ears pricked for any more discernible words on the matter, heart beginning to thumb against her ribs as more conversations broke out of his arrival on the Roger. She pressed her hands to her temples and slowly turned in the street. A movement caught in her peripheral and she dropped her hands to her side and turned to see Sam sauntering down the path. 

Aurora stared vacantly down at the book she was reading, eye traveling over the page but not catching onto any of the words. She was tired. So tired. Her entire existence in Neverland hung on Hook being here, and now he was gone. Queenie held out hope for his return, and Sam had taken upon himself to go and find the captain. But after the first two months, she’d dismissed any thoughts of his coming back from her mind. Of course, she’d never tell the others that it was hopeless; it would be cruel to tear into them for childishly believing that any man gone for that long could make it out alive. A brisk wind pushed open the windows above the desk Rory was reading at, and she closed her eyes in a frown as the chill ran right through her. With a sigh, she set her book, pages facing down onto the table, and stood to close the windows. 

“Yes, girl’s day!” It would probably be more fun if they got a bunch of the girls and had a big girls party, no men allowed, but that would be a logistical nightmare getting everyone in one place at one time. “Sure,” Charlie replied, then when she found out the details of this daydream she slowed and tipped her head to the side, brows furrowed sympathetically. “Don’t be silly, that would never happen. Even if you did run off to live out there, we’d still visit! We could picnic in the fields and bring you bottles of wine and live a work free nomad lifestyle.” She said, trying to make it all sound less bleak. “Besides, you’re like, the coolest girl in port. Everyone loves you, you’ll always have people.” 

Charlie smirked, “They tend to be.” She rolled her eyes, men could be such babies about it. Rory didn’t seem all that interested in the baby, and she wasn#t surprised. They were both so young, not quite baby time for either of them. “It’s gone a bit manic hasn’t it? I don’t mind doing the work but I miss having the free time and people to hang out with. Sure, not having the guys wasted at noon is great, but this is supposed to be paradise and we’re spending the whole time being forced to work.” Technically she wasn’t, but it counted, she thought. No work was something she missed from her time as a lost girl but when she really thought it over, she loved where she was now. She wouldn’t go back if she was given the option. “Well, not this afternoon!” She suddenly exclaimed, “Paradise here we come!” Charlie held her hands up and danced forward a few steps before laughing. 

Charlie grinned, biting her lower lip as she shook her head at Rory’s cheekiness. “What about you had a ‘feminine issue’?” She offered, air quotes around the final words. “He probably wouldn’t ask any extra questions after that.” Charlie tilted her head back and let out a drawn out ‘awww’. “That’s sweet, another tiny tot.” She wondered if Jukes would be the one to raise the child. “Right? I understand, work to keep the world moving, but let us have more breaks. I want to live here for a reason.” 

Charlie laughed loudly, head tipped back. “That will be on the agenda then, excude finding.” She waited for her to lock the door, then nodded eagerly. “Sounds great! I feel like I never get to go to the beach with anyone, people are always being busy.” Charlie tucked her hair behind her ear and held her bag in front of her thighs, knocking it as she walked. “Plus, I haven’t had a chance to properly take in the sun since it started getting hot.”