You think I'm something I'm not How can I save the Enchanted Forest? She was the Sheriff of Storybrooke and the Savior. Still she didn't understand that one. Her parents were her age and more confusing than that, they were Snow White and Prince Charming? This was so much to take in. Almost too much. David was helping her out at the Sheriff's office because ever since magic showed back up things were getting worse. They kept telling her she had magic inside of her. Either way, Emma couldn't let any of this interfere with her job as Sheriff. The only thing that ever did was Regina Mills. She interfered with everything. Especially when it had to do with Henry. If there was something that Emma Swan could do to prevent it, she would. It wasn't like she could run her out of town. Henry was indeed right about her. She was the Evil Queen. That actually made her laugh when that one came out to be true. Leaving the loft that she, her parents and Henry now shared, Emma was dressed for the day.  So far it was a quiet day. Emma had started the day with a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon. Of course, she always did. Once she finished it, she paid the bill and left the diner.  Slipping into the police cruiser, she drove towards the docks. She had received a call from David that someone had seen a ship docked there. "A ship? Are you sure? We don't have any ships in Storybrooke." It was confirmed and Emma pulled the car up. Her eyes did not deceive her. It was a.. pirate ship. "What the Hell?" Anything can happen now. She was living a fairy tale.  Slowly she slipped out of the car, her badge on her right hip along with her gun. Her flashlight in hand. Not seeing anyone on deck, Emma Swan, Sheriff of Storybrooke, Maine stepped cautiously up the stairs to the large ship. On the deck she gazed about and saw absolutely no one. "So someone sailed in, docked and left the ship?" She arched a brow. Since no one was up on deck, the blonde princess of the Enchanted Forest found the hatch that led to the lower deck and lifted it. There was no one in the immediate vicinity. "O.k... this is getting weirder." Lifting up the walkie talkie she called in to the office. "David, I've got nothing here. But I would say we need to keep an eye out for anyone that looks suspicious. I have a bad feeling about this. A ship this size doesn't sail in on its own."  When she clicked off the voice of her father, that was when she heard a creaking noise behind her. Slowly Emma stood up. Ever so cautiously she reached for her gun, but not so that anyone would notice. It was the subtle movements she had learned from being a bailbonds person. Just as she turned around with her gun drawn she saw him. "Who are you and what are you doing in my town?" The only problem was he had a sword at her throat. He trusted her as much as she trusted him.

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Killian Jones

Storybrooke was an odd place, stranger than any Killian had yet seen. That was apparent even before docking, yet the Roger sailed into the marina without any problems arising and while they did gain some attention at first, the ship had since been left alone. It was the dockmaster that had come asking questions and demanding payment, but after getting a good look at Hook's fearsome crew, he decided it would be better to let them be. A wise choice.

Once they were anchored, Hook decided it would be best to gain some insight into the town. Not much was known about this land without magic and at present, not much about it interested him. Storybrooke harbored the Dark One, the man he intended to kill, and all he cared about now was tracking him down and finishing the centuries-long vendetta. There were still a few things left for him to do and in the meantime, he would need to gain a better understanding of the workings of the town. To that end, he and his crew disembarked the ship to have a look around, keeping a low profile all the while. He left Starkey and Jukes on board to guard the ship and departed.

On his return, Killian noted that both crewmembers had vanished in his absence. A bad sign and if it turned out the pair were still living, there would be hell to pay for their lapse in judgment. No distraction was worth leaving the ship unguarded. Killian ventured aboard his ship with caution, taking care not to alert any intruder who might still be on board. It was only when he made to check below decks that he found her, a blonde speaking in low tones into a strange contraption she carried in her hand. Drawing his sword, he stepped up behind her and lifted the point, about to speak – when she suddenly spun to face him, drawing a weapon of her own. It was a strange weapon, but judging by the way she held it, he had no doubt it was deadly.

His sword now at her throat, Killian raised an eyebrow in amusement as she asked her question. "The question is, love, who are you and what are you doing on my ship? It’s you that’s where she shouldn't be and I don’t take kindly to intruders on the Roger. Although," his lips curved into a smirk as he looked her up and down. "With you, I could make an exception." He lowered his sword a few inches to give her a little breathing room, but did not take it away. "The name's Jones, Killian Jones. Most know me as Hook. Captain Hook." He held up the hook that was his namesake, smirk still firmly in place. "Now what’s your name, love? I'd enjoy getting to know you better."

I'm not who you think I am I can't be the one to save you This was all strange enough as it was. Her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming. Her son's adoptive mother was the Evil Queen and she knew Rumpelstiltskin. What the Hell else could go on in this town that could shock her? Besides the fact that they had made her the sheriff. If there was anything else, she'd give up and go back to Boston. Though she didn't tell her parents or Henry that. She had just resigned to it. She needed to get back to her old job and start catching the real bad guys. No one in the town was real. They were all fictional characters.  His sword was a little too close for comfort at her throat though. That was the problem. He would most likely slice her corotid artery before she could get a clean shot off. That was if he was as good as he was. Emma held out her hands to let him know she was putting her weapon and her walkie talkie down. Crouching straight down with the sword at her throat the entire time, she placed them on the floor, stood back up and listened to his speech. "You mean the Jolly Roger?" Before he could get another word in. Then she started to chuckle. Now it was Peter Pan.  Tilting her head and raising her brow, Emma looked at him. "Well, Captain. How did the Jolly Roger get here from Neverland?" Yes, she knew of Neverland and all the other fairy tale locations. "If you can get here, then we can get to the Enchanted Forest right?" Lord, he was hitting on her. "Well I have to admit, you are better looking than in the stories I used to read as a child." When he commented that he wanted to get to know her better, Emma slid her hands into her back pockets. "You're not here five minutes and you're hitting on me? Just by looking at you, why don't I find that surprising?"  Now he wanted to know her name. Why the hell was she so popular around here? Because she was the first person that came into Storybrooke in 28 years. Wait, did he even know of this place? "Name's Emma Swan. Sheriff of Storybrooke. So what's your reason for being here?" She shook her head at the thought of the story of Peter Pan and comparing that and the Hook standing before her. She couldn't argue with the fact that he was much more handsome. Shoving those thoughts out of her head, Emma then realized she wasn't the only one. Eyes furrowing, she shifted her hips. "How do you know about Storybrooke, Hook?" She waited for an answer. Even with the sword still upon her, the sheriff was still bold.

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Killian Jones

Killian wasn't sure what this woman was doing aboard his ship or where his crewmates had gone. Emma on the other hand seemed to already know about him. He didn't like being at such a disadvantage, but if anyone was going to come asking questions, he would always prefer it to be a beautiful woman. He gave her just enough space to set her weapon down and he edged forward to nudge the gun out of her reach with his boot. Then he smiled. "I see you've heard of me. Good. A pirate is nothing without his reputation." She knew more than just his reputation and that fact did not escape him. Years spent in Neverland constantly watching his back and staving off lost boy attacks had made him suspicious. She could be a lackey of Pan's, sent across to this world to bring him further torment. He didn't think it likely, of course. He would have noticed a beauty like her long ago had she been on that accursed island.

"You're quite brave, aren't you? And full of questions. I admire your spirit, love, but let me tell you something. On my ship, I ask the questions." Lowering the point of his sword, he stepped forward to close the space between them until they were inches apart. With great care, he lifted his hook to her neck, resting the flat of it against her skin. "Emma Swan. The name flows off the tongue. It suits you. So tell me, Emma, how do you know where I come from? You speak of stories about me, though I must say, this is the first I've heard of them. I’m flattered by the thought…and by your obvious attraction." He smirked. She mentioned that she thought he was good looking and there was no way he would let that go.

"My reasons for coming here are my own, I'm afraid. I shan't be giving all my secrets away so soon after arriving." It was enough that his presence had been noticed in Storybrooke. He didn't need half the town aware of his purpose for being there. He backed off from her and moved his hook away from her throat. Emma might have been prying into his business, but by now he had deemed her not a threat.

He sheathed his sword and smirked at her, his arms folded across his chest. "You can relax. I’m not here to cause your town any trouble. Once my business is concluded, I’ll sail away and leave Storybrooke a better place than I found it, I promise you that. For now, I would hear more about you, Lady Swan. You seek to reach the Enchanted Forest. Why is that? Do you have a lover there waiting for you?"

I'm not who you think I am I can't be the one to save you She understood why he was taking the precaution of kicking the gun away. But, the fact that she gave up her weapon, she was hoping that he would give up his. Though he was a pirate and worse yet, Hook. Emma had heard all the stories about Captain Hook and read all the books. But those were just fairy tales. Peter Pan was a really nice boy that loved Wendy Darling from afar. Hook chased him trying to kill him. But then in the books he was much uglier. Emma grimmaced at the thought. She remembered the movies and laughed.  The compliment made her smile. She was inquisitive and brave. "If you knew my previous job, I have to be." Of course he was going to claim that he was going to ask the questions. The headshake was ever so slight. "I understand. I have the same policy when it comes to my police station." She opened her hands outward motioning for him to proceed to ask them. "Though, if I don't check in, my deputy, my father will come over here looking for me to see if I'm alright." Emma wanted to attempt to let David know something suspicious may be going on. She glanced down at the walkie talkie. Finally he lowered the sword, but not enough for her taste. When he stepped closer, she had planned on stepping back, but he'd made his point to take her hook to her neck. Her eyes never changed. Always focused upon his own. So intense they were. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you where I heard of you and the stories I've read about you." When it came to the fact that she had been attracted to him, she scoffed. "Attraction? No, you have that part wrong. I just mentioned that you are better looking than in the stories I've read. Doesn't mean I'm attracted to you." What was his response going to be about that?  Hook must have realized she wasn't there to hurt him. Just to check out the ship and its crew. For she didn't know who they were until he'd found her on board. "I hate to tell you, Hook. But your reasons affect this town. I'm the sheriff. So it is my business. I don't want anyone in my family coming to any harm. Or the people I love. I just found them. For whatever that's worth." She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't understand what was happening really.  Glancing around the cramped space, she turned back with a raised brow. "Better place than you found it? That's not possible." Closing her eyes she only considered one thing that could make it better. "Well I can only think of one thing being gone from here that would make it a better place. One person to be exact." Regina was in her way when it came to her son, her parents and every other aspect of her life.  "Why I seek to reach the Enchanted Forest is for my own reasons. It's not just me though." When he mentioned lover, she gave him an odd look. "Lover? You're serious, right? No, I have no lover to speak of. No one waiting for me. If they were, they would be waiting a very long time because I don't know about them."

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Killian Jones

"Your father is your deputy? How sweet." He smirked, but despite his light-hearted demeanor, he took the comment seriously. It might be a bluff, but she could actually have someone who would look for her soon and Killian did not like the idea of a second curious townsperson coming to his ship uninvited. Especially not the father of this lovely lady. He caught the glance at the device on the floor and nodded his head at it. "That’s some sort of communicator, isn't it? I saw you speaking into it. You can tell your father that all is well here and that you'll not need any assistance. We can keep this conversation between the two of us. It's much better that way, I'm sure you'll agree."

Killian could only smile smugly when Emma denied her attraction. She was covering her feelings for reasons he couldn't guess, but he knew she would come around. It was all a matter of time and an ample use of charm. "Whatever you say, darling. When you’re ready to admit to your desire, I'll be here, waiting." He winked and continued, "In the meantime, tell me this tale you know about me. I've heard a great many fantastical things in my lifetime, enough that I'm not so quick to dismiss a strange story."

Emma persisted in her line of questioning, as a sheriff should, never straying from her reasons for coming aboard. He admired that quality even as it irked him, but he wasn't going to let on. "Your concern becomes you, Lady Swan, but rest assured, it isn't your family I'm here for. I have business with someone in town. Let's leave it at that, shall we? Then we can move on to more…pleasurable topics." He grinned and raised his eyebrows suggestively. He'd yet to get much of a rise out of Emma, but it wouldn’t stop him trying.

"Ah, you see, there is someone you'd rather have gone. Perhaps our interests intertwine after all. The one I seek is more demon than man. If he's here, as I suspect he is, he is undoubtedly the source of trouble for more than a few living here in Storybrooke." He took a step closer and regarded her seriously. "His name may have changed, but you're sheriff. You know this town better than most, don't you? You know who it is I'm looking for."

It pleased him that she had no lover to speak of. He smiled but for once kept his comments to himself. "Now, now, I've been forthright with you. Tell me about your reasons for wanting to cross worlds. You seem to want to make use of my ship and pretty as you are, I would not consider offering my aid without knowing the motivation for your journey."

I'm not who you think I am I can't be the one to save you Yes, her father was her deputy. O.k. well it did sound odd. Who really did have their father as their deputy? But then the comment did aggitate her slightly. "Sweet? My father is a wonderful man and he's good at his job. It's probably due to his previous job though." She laughed at the thought that he was Prince Charming and led the people here. "Yeah it's a communicator." Emma picked up the walkie talkie and spoke into it. "Dad, it's all clear here. There's no one here. We can come back later and maybe see if the crew comes back. Talk to them then." Emma never called him Dad. At least not yet. She could only hope that perhaps David would catch on. "There, we're alone for awhile. We can talk for as long as we want." Placing the walkie talkie down on a crate, she leaned against the wall. "You sure are a confident man, Hook. I'll give you that. But I don't think it'll happen. See, when I leave here, any attraction you think I might have will be gone. Don't worry. It's that attraction you have for yourself." Though she had to admit to herself that she did find him quite attractive. She'd be lying to herself if she didn't.  Her eyes arched briefly and she looked away making sure he couldn't see it. At least hoping that he couldn't. For as arrogant as he was, Emma would never hear the end of it. "So you'll wait here just for me? How sweet." Her hand was placed onto his right shoulder. Ugh, he would have taken that the wrong way she was sure of it. Removing her hand, she backed away from him.  "Well it's a good thing you aren't here to hurt my family. Because I must say if you were. I'd be here to hurt you in a most unpleasureable way. And know that to be a fact." Her eyes looked up to him with a serious deadpan look. Someone in town? Hmm well that was pretty vague, but she backed off for now because she had her own demon she wanted out of Storybrooke. "And just what would you find to be a more pleasureable topic? Let me guess" She paused, crossed one foot over the other and began speaking again. "You want to talk about how you find me beautiful and you want to take me on a date?" It wasn't hard to figure out men. They were all the same. As he spoke of the one he wished to remove from Storybrooke and how their interests intertwined, he spoke the truth. "I can't deny that perhaps we have something in common." More demon than man and have a problem with more than one in town. Yes, she knew of whom he spoke. "Of course I know of whom you speak. I know both of his names here. I am sure that you know the woman of which I wish gone as well." Pushing herself up from the seated position on the crate. "But, we can't always get what we want." A chuckle came from her thinking of the Stones song. No one here in this town would even know of the Rolling Stones.  "You must think about it. If you think I'm so pretty, then you should just simply offer me the use of your ship even without knowing my motivations. Don't you think my looks are good enough?" What no comment about a lover waiting for her? Shocking as that was. He had a comment for everything else she said. "I can see this is going to be a long night, Hook. You've been upfront in a manner of speaking. Why do you want Gold gone?" There it was. Confirmation that he was indeed here. But not his real name. Though it wasn't hard to make the connection since he was someone that could spin straw into gold in his land.

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Killian Jones

Hook gave Emma the space to send the message to her father. Something felt off to him. He didn’t know what it was and assumed it was probably to do with the unfamiliar technology. He let go of the feeling and folded his arms as he once again gained the sheriff's attentions. "Now isn't that better? I have to ask you, are all of the new arrivals in this town investigated so thoroughly or am I a special case?" He grinned in amusement. Emma might keep denying it, but he sensed that her interest extended to more than doing her duty as sheriff.

Indeed, she was quick to turn him down right then and there, insisting she felt nothing between them. Killian was persistent enough not to drop the matter entirely. She was after all on his ship, returning his flirtations instead of leaving in an angry huff. He cocked his eyebrow with a knowing smirk as she placed her hand upon his shoulder. She was quick to remove it, but the damage was done, and it was even more telling that she looked guilty for having made the gesture. "A lady such as you is worth waiting, of course, but I generally prefer more active pursuit." He leaned in a little closer to her, lowering his voice. "There's more of a thrill in the chase."

Emma had backed off and made it clear in no uncertain terms that she would protect her family from harm. Killian expected no less from her and admired the matter-of-fact way that she said it. Emma was a strong woman, he’d known that straight away, and it was a quality he respected. "Ah, you're a fierce one, aren't you? Rest easy. Your family faces no threat from me." As she mentioned the prospect of a date, he added, "That would be a more pleasurable subject matter, but perhaps it's best left for another day."

"The mayor." That was who she wanted gone. He was only able to guess because of the research he and his men had been doing all day, and it was no secret now that the most hated woman in town was the mayor who had cursed them all to Storybrooke. "And just what has she done to earn your ire, Lady Swan? This hatred you have for her seems rather personal." Emma did not seem to think herself capable of removing the problem. Killian didn't know if it was that she feared her power…or that she was held back by moral limitations.

He shook his head as he walked over to the wall, knocking on the side with his one good hand. "Lovely you are, but this ship goes only where I want it to go and I don't lend the use of it lightly. You'll have to find some other means of travel, I’m afraid." Turning back to face her, he caught the name she dropped and knew it at once to be his enemy. He leaned against the wall and studied her quietly, considering her question before answering. "This…Gold, as he is now known, has a reputation that must have followed him even here. The dark one and I have a history going back many years. It was he that took my hand and it was he that took the life of someone I loved. It's long past time that I settled the score."

I'm not who you think I am I can't be the one to save you He gazed at her suspiciously. Perhaps he had figured something out. Honestly she didn't know, but then again she couldn't be quite sure. She could only hope that @charming would come there to check on her. He did worry about her more than he should have. How and why David cared so much about her, Emma couldn't understand, but she was attempting to get used to it. No one had ever cared about her well being before she had come to Storybrooke. Tilting her head to the side at his question was directed at her. "Much better. Everyone not from Storybrooke gets the same treatment. If I don't, the Mayor gets on my case. And I don't want that. If you know her like I do, you'd understand." Of course he most likely didn't know her. Well maybe he did. If he knew her from the Enchanted Forest. Though not everyone knew all the others. That would be like saying she knew everyone in Boston.  Rolling her eyes at his comment about the chase of a woman that he preferred it, Emma slid her hands into her back pockets. "You'll be chasing a long time. Because there's nothing to chase here, Hook." Moving her hand up and down as though there were a barrier between them. "See this? This is a wall and you're over there. I'm over here. There's no door. So you can't get over to me." Graham was dead, Neal had left her. So Emma didn't have a great track record with men. It was better not to have one in her life. Except for Henry that was. "So you can pursue all you want, but I won't, but I won't say yes to your advances, Hook." As he leaned in closer to her, Emma stepped backwards.  "I take it you would protect your family in the same manner, Hook? I would expect no less." If anyone was willing to sacrifice their family because they could care less, then she felt for their family. Not because the person didn't care, but because they may be sacrificed and not for the greater good. Henry was one of those family members thanks to Regina.  "Let's put it this way, she's done something extremely personal to me and my family. I want her out of Storybrooke and out of my life. It would make it a better place. Someone else that loves this place would be able to compentantly take care of it as the new mayor. I would love to lock her up. But I can't" The only reason she wouldn't push her across the town line was Henry. But since she had saved her memories prior to the curse would she forget who she really was? Well then again Gold almost lost his memories. More than likely she would turn into Regina Mills. Sliding her hands back into her back pocket, she smiled a bit wickedly. "Well, I could use your help with her. I just can't do the deed. I have a son that would get very hurt if he found out I did it." So, she could possibly persuade him to take them all home. Well to her and Henry it wasn't home, but she wanted to be with her parents as did Henry. What made it worse was that Gold was now her father-in-law. Well, technically. But she and Neal were never married. "I understand revenge on Gold. I really do, but technically he's my family and my son wouldn't take too kindly to you harming his grandfather."

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Killian Jones

Emma was doing her best to discourage him. He felt confident that he hadn't imagined her interest, but if she was that adamant that he back off from his attempts to woo her, he would heed her warning. For now, at least. He wouldn't do himself any favors by pushing his luck too far. "As you say, Lady Swan. I'll respect that wall of yours. Can't blame a man for trying though, can you?"

Thinking about family wasn't something Hook chose to do very often. It was a painful subject, fuel for his revenge but otherwise something that had no place in his life. He was nonchalant about it as he answered, "Aye. If I had any family, I would do all I could to protect them. I've no doubt that your own family is in great hands with you looking out for them." He thought of Milah then. She was never far from his mind. Nor was the regret that he wasn’t able to protect her when it mattered most.

Emma's hate for the mayor ran stronger than he expected. It was promising for a partnership, in fact. They could help one another out. Killian had nothing personal against Regina, but if getting her out of the way would help him in his quest, he would happily do the deed. "I can't find you a new mayor, but if you truly would have the current one removed, well, perhaps we could do business…if your conscience can handle the burden. If she's as terrible as they say, you really shouldn't harbor any guilt over the matter.”

His expression darkened as she named Gold as family. That wasn't what he expected and it was poor news indeed. He was only starting to put the pieces together in his head. Her son was the dark one's grandchild? That could suggest that Emma herself was Gold’s daughter, but no, she said 'technically' family. Could it be that she and Baelfire had a son together? It was all irrelevant to the matter at hand. His tone was colder as he said, "Ah, then you won't be persuaded to my cause. It's a shame. We could have been quite the team, you and I. Well, whether or not you approve, I won't be swayed from getting my revenge. Now I feel we've established a decent rapport and I'd like to keep this friendly. You won't be running straight to Gold to warn him now, will you?"

He had stopped his advances? To say the least she hadn't expected nor wanted him to. She was enjoying the game they were playing. When he told her he would respect her boundaries, her eyes gave him an almost disappointed look. Her tongue slid out slightly to graze her full lips. "No, I can't blame you for trying." Her head moved slightly to the side as if to tease him slightly with a twinkle in her eye. 

"My family is not all that large. I've only a son and my parents. They are what means the most to me. I would die for them." Even if she never knew what a family was until two months ago tops. "Actually..." She shifted on her hips "I just met them about a month or two ago. Before that I never knew I had any family. So I'm not quite sure if they really are in good hands." 

He couldn't find them a new mayor? "Oh I don't care about you finding us a new mayor. That, we can take care of. My father will become the new mayor. Possibly my mother along with him. They led their kingdom back home." Why was she telling him all of this? Slipping her hands back into her pockets, Emma thought about her conscience. "If I don't actually do the deed, my conscience can handle it just fine. I won't have to lie to my son that I didn't do it." That was all that mattered to her. "My job prior to coming here, I didn't have time to harbor guilt for what I did." The sheriff shrugged her shoulders at Killian Jones nonchalantly. 

He had sounded so disappointed when she mentioned that Gold was technically family. It was almost as if she would protect the man. That was a joke if she'd ever heard one. "That does not deture me one bit. Just because he is the grandfather of my son, doesn't mean that I won't help you." Could he even think that anyone would run off and tell Gold that he was here? Emma chuckled slightly. "Will I run and tell him? No, but I can tell you where to find him. Just don't tell him that I told you. He's the Dark One again and he does have magic."

The only person who might have been able to persuade him not to use it would be Neal or Belle. "Last I looked, he was alone. His son Neal, or Baelfire as he was known in the Enchanted Forest is the father of my son. All I ask is not to hurt him. Henry would be upset about that." Pointing to his shop with a smile, she told him. "That's his shop over there." As she shifted her body to get out of the tightly enclosed place she was in and he was blocking, Emma ended up skirting past him. Their bodies touching and their lips close together. "You know you have to let me out of here." A broadened smile crossed her face. "Unless you had something else in mind?"

Killian Jones

Was that disappointment? Hook could read it on her clear as day. Whatever she said to the contrary, she really did want him to pursue her. Strange that she would deny her feelings, even to herself, but whatever her reasons for it, he would remember that look and know the truth. She wasn’t ready to write him off just yet and he was determined to get to know her better. Of course, his revenge would come first, but he could take part in pursuing some other pleasures, could he not?

“Your devotion to your family is admirable, love. Even more so when you’ve only known them a short time. As I’ve said, it isn’t my desire to harm your loved ones. If all goes to plan, my quest will only be to the detriment of one man, one no one will miss.” Even as he said it, he knew it wasn’t true. There would always be a few misguided souls who cared for Rumpelstiltskin, and there would always be casualties as a result of revenge. He was willing to risk it.

Hook was the kind of man that was always watchful for new opportunities and he saw one in the mayor situation. Emma wanted her gone and that was something he could do for her, for the right price. She made it clear that her conscience wouldn’t factor into the equation. “Well then, Lady Swan…should you ever decide to move forward against your mayor, you know where to find me. I’ll help you, but understand, my aid wouldn’t come cheaply.”

Emma surprised him with her indifference about Gold’s safety. He thought she counted him as family, but it seemed he wasn’t close enough for her feelings to extend to him. That was a relief. Nothing would stop him now that his revenge was close at hand, and he had no reason to care about Emma’s stance on it, yet still her blessing was welcome. “I wouldn’t dream of telling him, darling. Now where can I find him? Knowing where he lives, where he goes, would save me from doing tiresome surveillance.” He smiled.

Baelfire? Hook’s eyebrows raised as he caught the name. He knew Baelfire. Hadn’t seen the lad in many years and he regretted the way they left things when last they met. The boy had grown up and reunited with his father, then. He wondered briefly how Baelfire might feel about that, and how he would take the news that Hook had killed his father, but he soon shook those thoughts away. “You have my word, no harm will come to him.” He followed her gaze to the indicated shop and gave a nod of his head.

He looked back as Emma edged past him and placed his one good hand on her hip to steady her as she did, making no attempt to get out of the way. Why would he? He was never one for personal boundaries, especially when it came to beautiful women. He caught her eyes and smiled as their lips came within inches of touching. Lowering his voice, he said, “If I shared what’s on my mind, love, you’d blush as red as your lovely jacket. I’ll let you go…but you know where to find me when you get lonely in the night.” He winked before adding, “You have my thanks, milady, for telling me all I need to know.”