Not Like You

When the Charmings returned to the apartment after Emma had numbly shown them where everything had happened with Neal, it was to find Captain Hook wandering around and exploring, checking out nooks and crannies, poking at things with his hook.

The first thing that happened as they went through the door was that David charged the pirate. Hook was so taken aback that he just blinked and took a step backward. Apparently, the step wasn't enough, because when the prince jabbed at him, his head went back and his hand went to his nose. Snow and Emma just stared in shock, not entirely sure what to do.

"That's for knocking me in the head with the crowbar," Charming growled.

Hook rubbed his nose and glared at Charming. The punch had hurt, but thankfully hadn't broken his nose. At least that was one thing that wasn't broken…

"Hook, what are you doing here? How did you get here?" Snow asked, dumbfounded by his sudden appearance.

"I believe I have some information which may prove useful to you and thought I ought to offer my services," the pirate answered, "As for the second question, it would take too long to explain."

"Why would you even want to offer us any help?" Snow queried cautiously.

"You once mentioned that the wind was gusting in your direction," Hook drawled, "I just happen to agree at this point. In fact, I would even venture to say a hurricane is coming in."

Snow and Charming eyed him dubiously. The dark-haired man quirked an amused eyebrow.

"Well?" he asked.

"My wife and I need to discuss this," the prince stated stiffly.

Hook gestured with his hand. "Feel free."

"In private," Charming emphasized through gritted teeth.

The pirate didn't budge, just looked at himself, then the room pointedly. Snow rolled her eyes. Grabbing her husband's arm, she headed to the stairs leading to the loft. Emma made a move to follow, but her mother stopped her.

"Emma, why don't you make sure Hook doesn't steal anything?" she offered. The blonde woman looked at the pirate wearily.

"Oh…sure," she answered.

When the royal couple had gotten to the top of the stairs, Hook turned to Emma with contemplative eyes.

"Emma," he stated, "What has happened to make you so unlike yourself?

"Don't even bother, Hook," the woman answered tiredly, "Besides, don't pretend to know what I'm like."

The pirate stepped closer to her so he could watch her expression. He notice the red rims around her eyes. "Perhaps I don't, but from what little I do know of you, it isn't like you to be so…lost. Passive."

Emma averted her gaze and walked away from him. She thought she'd cried out all her tears, but it looked like she'd been wrong. She swallowed hard.

"It's none of your concern," she told him.

"No. I suppose it isn't," Hook replied. He turned his head away from her, his eyes staring out the window. "However, I will say this. No matter how cloudy a day, the sun remains. We only need to have the patience to wait for it to burn through the clouds."

Emma bit her lip to prevent a hysterical laugh from escaping. Lately, it seemed her life was nothing but clouds.

"What if the clouds take too long to let the sun through?" she asked.

"Then we make the most of a cloudy day," the pirate replied.

The woman scoffed and turned to look at him, a challenging gleam in her eye. "Is that what you've done?"

Hook turned his head in her direction, laser blue gaze taking on a determined, even hopeful glint that she didn't remember ever seeing before.

"Aye. But lately it seems the sun has made some progress and the clouds have begun thinning out."