Disclaimer: I own none of the rights to Once Upon A Time or the wonderful characters created. This takes place right after season 3 ONLY no Marian or Elsa. Just a happy ending when Emma and Killian return back after getting her parents together after the mishap. Except, well someone else of my own rights came out of the portal instead. All mistakes are my own, no beta . The beginning may be short but I tend to write twice this. Just eager to post.
Parallels
Chapter 1
Emma stood on the corner of First and Second Street, downing the rest of her coffee from Grannys before tossing it into the bin. She continued her short walk to the station, content for the first time in a long time that things might just be normal for awhile, mentally knocking on wood she just hadn't jinxed it.
"Swan." Hook met her stride, crossing the street.
She glanced at him as they walked, a gleeful grin playing across his face.
"What is it?"
"Princess Leia."
She cringed and coughed into the shoulder of her leather jacket remembering who she introduced them as at the ball after falling into the portal.
"Um we agreed we would never speak of that incident again from the Enchanted Forest. I mean the ball dancing was lovely but-"
"Yes well Love, that was until I learned of the moving picture it came from."
She stopped in her tracks cocking her head at him, fully taking him in. She noticed he was dressed differently. He had traded his long leather jacket for a shorter, more current one and wore a black Henley beneath. His jewelry still intact and visible but he had on black denim jeans with his black boots instead of the patent leather ones. God he looked good. How form fitting if only she could wrap her arms around-
Shaking her head from such thoughts she asked, "When did you start watching movies?"
"Since we've had almost a month of calm. And Henry introduced me to DVDS I could rent at the library."
"How do you even watch them?" She said, not trying to judge just confused.
"I have a job now Swan. I bought a portable DVD player to watch before bed at night at the inn."
"A job?" She echoed.
"I borrow a small boat, mind you no Jolly Roger, and catch crab and sell them to the market. Pays decently. And the other day, at your sons' request when I saw him at the library, he said to try Star Wars. Which is by far the strangest films of all until I saw the character-"
"Princess Leia." She finished for him, groaning.
"Now tell me Leia. Am I your only hope?" Grinning manically he playfully knocked against her shoulder.
"Oh god. Knock it off Hook."
He laughed and fully turned to her narrowing his eyes, "So whom is this King Charles? Or should I ask Henry for a movie?"
"The king of England." She mumbled and began to stomp her way to the station, cheeks red.
"Ah so I'm a real person and you decided to be a character who dresses up in that two piece-"
"Shut up." She death glared at him, now standing outside the station. It was a small town after all and they had only been a block away.
"See you Love." He winked and she was about to burst through the doors and forget the whole conversation, however she paused for a moment and took a breath.
She swore under her breath. She had been ignoring him, subconsciously, for the most part since she learnt he had traded his ship to come find her in New York. No one had ever been that selfless in her life. He had given up his home, his past, all just to break a curse he could have walked away from and no one would have been the wiser. And that tore her to the core. But their banter these past few minutes, well that had felt like, home. Warm and fuzzy and real. Not that she'd ever admit it to him. She hadn't realized she needed it, nor missed it until just now.
"Killian." She called turning around as he was already half way across the street.
He stopped in his tracks and turned on his boot. She rarely called him by his full name unless it was serious.
"Aye Love?" His blue eyes pierced into hers.
"Dinner. Tonight. You and me. What do you think?"
He paused, unconsciously itching the back of his neck. A smile spreading across his face.
"Is that you asking me out on a date?"
She looked up at the sky and laughed. "Yeah it is."
"I should be the one asking you. If I recall courting correctly."
"Courting? I know you're 300 but come on. And well. I'm asking. Will you have dinner with me tonight?"
"Yes." He answered with a grin. "I'll pick you up at eight."
"But I asked you-"
"And I will take you out Swan. Dress nice. We won't be going to Granny's."
"And where are we going?"
"You'll see Love. Now get to work. Robin is probably asleep at the desk."
She nodded with a grin and went into the station, daring a glance back, which he had done too. Their eyes met one more time causing her grin to go from nervous to down right happy and turning her cheeks a further crimson.
"Hey kid what are you doing here?" She whispered walking into the station where, as Killian had guessed, Robin was asleep at his desk. Henry was sitting at her desk reading a book with a bag of what looked like bear claws.
"Hey Mom." He whispered back, grinned brightly, book marking his page and handed her breakfast from the donut bag.
"Thanks kid. But again what are you doing here? Thought you were spending spring break with Regina."
He twitched his foot and looked down.
"I was but…" He whispered back. Robin was still snoring lightly.
Ever since Neal had been born, David had been constantly rushing home for one thing or another, calling his daughter to cover, which to her was not a problem. Emma knew, although it hadn't been spoken, that he was trying to make up for not being there for her with her little brother, leaving the station short on staff, especially the night shift which she hated with a vengeance. She was all for being the savior (most days) but she needed her sleep too if it wasn't an emergency. Regina had offered up Robins services, for at least paternity leave as she had called it, in both hopes Robin would feel more connected to the community, have a stable income, and as a gift to David and Mary Margret, as she had finally found her one true happiness (other than Henry) and wanted to repay them.
"But what?"
"Mom asked Robin and Rolland to move in." He said in a swift breath of air, biting his lip.
"She did, did she? And how are you feeling about this?" She sat next to him, glancing back at her deputy feeling slightly guilty talking about him in front of him even though he couldn't hear a thing.
"Good. I'm glad she's happy. Maybe now she'll never revert back to her ways like before. But, I just needed to…"
"Needed to what kid?" Emma encouraged watching as he struggled to find the right words.
"I needed you to be okay with it too I guess? Or tell you? I don't know."
She smiled at him. Being 13 and having two mothers, plus a potential little step brother had to be hard. But at least he had a loving family to lean back on.
"I'm fine kid. She deserves this. But you deserve to feel however you're feeling too and work through it. I put up so many walls when I was your age and I'm just now chipping away at them. If you ever need an escape you know I'm at the loft. Or hopefully-"
"A house?" He asked grinning manically.
"Yes. I'm looking thanks to you. Feeling crowded with Neal there."
"Keep looking Mom, right thing to do, just make sure I have a room there." He said smiling.
She chuckled and kissed his forehead and mumbled duh at him.
Robin snorted during one of his snores, Henry's excitement awakening him since his voice rose.
"Emma." He looked up, his hand brushing against his face to make sure he hadn't drooled. "Henry." He added taking in the scene.
"Morning Robin. Why don't you head on home and check in on your son and get some proper rest? Sorry we woke you." She answered taking a bite out of the bear claw.
"I'll come with you." Henry added feeling better he had told Emma. In truth he just wanted her to find happiness too.
Emma exchanged a glance with him, asking if that was really what he wanted, and Henry half nodded back, reading her mind.
"Alright then. Just let me get my jacket. Maybe Regina has breakfast going?"
"She makes a mean omelette and fresh orange juice, so even if she hasn't…" He trailed off.
"Hey. I make mean toast." Emma mocked, knowing she couldn't cook for her life.
"Love you mom." Henry gave her a peck on the cheek before leaving with Robin.
Emma made herself comfortable at the desk, not a care in the world except what she was going to wear tonight when she saw Killian.
"So you're just planning on blending in? Won't the Dark One recognize you?" A woman asked.
"I'm counting on it actually." He answered, stubbing out his cigarette, smiling at his wife.
"Baron, we've kept a low profile since we got here but-"
"Brigette. I bring death and I give life. And it's time I take death. There was a reason we were brought here."