Disclaimer: These are not my characters and I intend no harm or infringement in any way.
A/N: This is the scene when Emma confronts Hook in the hospital after he's been hit by the car. He's in bad shape and cuffed to the bed and hookless. This is an idea I've been pondering for a while and I've been wondering if Emma would ever realize this (read on) and what the ramifications of her epiphany would be.
"Ahh, hello, Beautiful." Hook drawled with a sleepy smile curling his lips. Emma was standing over his hospital bed, looking down at him. He was in rough shape. Between the car and Gold, he'd be stuck there at least a couple of days. "Could I have some water?"
Emma plunked down on the side of his bed and reached for the cup of ice water on the bedside table. Her movements jostled him, eliciting a wince. He hated breaking ribs.
"Where's Cora?" Direct and to the point. She had no time for Hook's games.
"It's nice to see you again too, Lass." he smirked. He took the plastic cup from her and took a thirsty gulp. Her warning glare told him that she meant business. "I've no idea, Love." He could see she was waging an internal battle to trust his words, a frown forming on her pretty face. "I'm here for my crocodile. Nothing more. Cora has her own business. We parted ways upon arriving in this land."
"How did you get here?" she believed him. She knew when a person was lying to her, and Hook seemed genuine.
"Aboard my ship, the Jolly Rodger... by way of magic bean." As the words rolled off his tongue Emma's mind flashed to the image of the shriveled bean Hook had taken from the giant. Cora must have had a way to make it work.
"Why?" she breathed, "Why come all this way?"
"It's a land without magic, Love, I'm finally going to skin my crocodile, now that we're on an equal playing field."
"Gold has as much magic as ever. When I broke the curse he brought it here. Hook..." she trailed off, implying what he knew to be true, his attempts at revenge would be the end of him. Gold would undoubtedly win.
"The bloody coward!" Hook shouted. He immediately regretted it, feeling the strain his outburst had caused his cracked ribs.
"Shhhh, hey... It's okay..." Emma tried her best to soothe him, standing and laying her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to calm him down.
"Emma, " he growled, " I watched my lover die in my arms. When he crushed her heart in his coward's hand I watched as she dropped, heard the horrible sound she made as she fell. He killed her in cold blood. I held her in my arms as the life left her eyes, you've no idea what that's like!"
Emma's heart had stopped. Her blood ran cold.
"Graham." it was just barely a breath.
"What's that, Lass?" He could see he'd upset her. Her eyes were unfocused and her hands were trembling.
"Regina." she spurted. Slightly above a whisper.
"The queen? I don't understand, Love, you'll have to give me more than that..."
Her legs gave way beneath her and she sat crumpled on the floor.
"Graham." she said again, bringing her shaking hand to her mouth. Hot tears stung in her eyes. "He remembered. It was true. All along. I didn't believe him. She did have his heart... and she..." Emma was muttering to herself on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks while a puzzled and concerned Hook looked down at her.
"Emma!" his voice shook her from her stupor. She looked at him and then at her surroundings, realizing where she was.
"I know." she whispered to him, pushing herself up off of the floor.
"You know...?" he squinted his eyes at her, she was impossible to read at that moment. She reached down and grabbed his hand, holding it between her own and rubbing it with her thumb. The frown on her face had deepened and her brow was heavily furrowed. Her breathing was slightly ragged and her eyes still had tears threatening to fall.
"His name was Graham." she whispered without looking at his face, her eyes concentrated on their joined hands. He understood. "And Regina killed him." He squeezed her hands back, trying to console her. She was quite obviously in shock.
"I mean... She wasn't there, but I know... It happened before the curse was broken and I still didn't believe. Graham... Before he died he tried to tell me. He told me she had his heart... and I didn't believe him." her voice caught and while stiffing a sob, she whimpered, "He died in my arms."
Hook wanted nothing more than to console her, wipe the tears away from her cheeks and tuck the hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear, but he was restrained and his hook was God knows where. So he just shushed at her and gently rubbed her hands with his thumb. She startled him by abruptly stepping back. The confused Hook just stared at her. In a few quick strides she was at the door.
"Wait! Where are you going, Lass?" he called to her. She turned back to face him. There was fire in her eyes.
"I've got my own crocodile to skin."
A/N: I know it was quick, but there is more to come. Let me know what you think.