Set during 3x08…. CS one shot. Hook has a moment to ponder his exchange on the path with Emma.
Hook stared thoughtfully after the group as they headed to skull rock, or more specifically, at a retreating Emma.
"So, you have feelings for Emma. That much is obvious," a lilting voice teased him out of his reverie. Startled, Hook glanced up at Tinkerbell, who was watching him curiously. "Glad to see you've moved on. You deserve to be happy," she continued. She glanced around at the sleeping boys then back at Hook, who uncharacteristically still hadn't said a word in reply.
"We have some time until we have to be back at your ship. Why don't we take a look around here for supplies? I'll see what I can find on the other side of the clearing. You look like you could use a moment alone, anyway," with that, she turned and left Hook standing alone with his thoughts.
Hook ran his good hand through his hair and sighed in frustration. He realized belatedly that Emma had been trying to reach out to him back on the path, but her emphatic assertion of only having room for one love in her life – Henry – still stung a little. Not that he didn't understand; he knew that she was fiercely passionate. That was one of the many things he admired about her. He certainly wasn't going to give up fighting for her, but admittedly, his ego HAD taken a bit of a hit. Or rather, his insecurity about being "good enough" for her had once again reared its' ugly head. He also hadn't meant to be so abrupt with her when she brought up Liam, but he had barely been able to talk about his brother with David—with that thought, Hook stopped short. He frowned; he had never mentioned Liam to Emma. That meant that David had been talking to her about what he had learned; obviously talking about him.
"Well now," he looked around at the still figures lying around the fire where they had fallen, "that must have been an interesting conversation between daughter and father," he mused out loud. His sat down on a nearby stump, thoughts wandering back to his declaration of his intentions to her in the clearing. He closed his eyes, and allowed himself the luxury of remembering how intoxicating it was for him to stand so close to her; how she always seemed to let him. He was very aware that Emma had very clear boundaries when it came to her "personal space", except, it seemed, where he was concerned. It was almost as though she… trusted him.
A slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he recalled her searching eyes gazing up at him as she sought reassurance that she would indeed be successful in rescuing her son. He was beginning to understand the depth of her hurt and mistrust in people, but he was also beginning to be aware of how much she was turning to him for strength and encouragement, even if she wasn't fully aware it yet.
Killian felt a new resolve to keep fighting for Emma, his confidence slowly returning. He loved her; that he knew without a doubt. He just needed to be a little more patient.