"So this is where you've been hiding all day. When Belle told me where you were I thought she'd gotten into your rum supply."
Hook's shoulders tensed as he glanced up from the heavy tome he'd been scrutinizing in a sectioned-off corner of the empty library. He closed the book as Emma drew out a chair and sat down next to him.
"I don't share my drink with just anyone, lass," said Hook, forcing a smile. He draped his arm over the object in front of him but the damage had already been done.
"Those symbols on the cover look like the ones Regina showed me yesterday," Emma said with a frown, looking up to find his gaze averted. "Please tell me you're not getting any crazy ideas about trying out a spell on Zelena," she sighed, sinking back into her seat. "I've already accepted my Hogwarts letter, we don't need to risk another Harry Potter running around."
Hook quirked an eyebrow at her. "I can assure you I have no affiliation with any Potter fellow… or whatever swine-based disease was in your correspondence."
"Then what are you doing with a book on magic?"
He opened his mouth to deliver a quip but knew from the worry lines creasing her brow that she wasn't in the mood for joviality. Hook thumbed the corner of the book in a distracted motion. "I was searching for some guidance on curses," he said in a low voice.
Emma tilted her head. "About the curse on Storybrooke?"
Licking his bottom lip, Hook swore he could taste the bitterness still lingering. "…Aye," he replied with a short nod, "that one."
"I don't mean to squash your good intentions," said Emma gently, "but I'm pretty sure Regina would have already found something helpful if it were in one of these books." She looked around the room in confusion. "Not that I really understand why her or Gold would leave something like this out in public."
Hook slid the leather-bound volume off the table and into a satchel he'd draped across the back of his chair. "I may have loaned this from another place of business," he admitted, earning a wry look from Emma.
"You mean you stole it from Gold's," she said frankly.
He shrugged. "That whole shop runs on pilfered artefacts and trinkets, love, I'm just extending the tradition."
She sat there watching him as he drummed his fingers on the table. "Why are you in here?" she murmured, noticing his body slightly tense up again as it had done when she'd first walked in.
"I thought we'd already established that?" he replied, gesturing to their surroundings.
"No, I mean why are you suddenly shutting yourself away from everyone?" Emma sat up straighter, her foot accidentally brushing against Hook's leg. She grew frustrated when he inched away from her touch. "And why do you keep doing that?" she bit out.
He swallowed roughly before mustering up an innocent guise. "Doing what?"
"Freezing up! Acting like I'm, I don't know," she floundered around for the words, "about to make you explode or something!" Something abruptly struck Emma and she peered at Hook with a mixture of apprehension and wounded pride. "You're not worried about how strong my… abilities are becoming now are you?" she asked quietly. "Because that whole 'conjure up another realm in a mirror' thing surprised me as well, not to mention the impromptu surfboard ride I took on the bridge, but you've been the one encouraging me to…"
"Swan," he said, cutting her off mid-sentence, "my thoughts about your magic haven't changed." He graced her with a small smile. "What I witnessed yesterday was truly stunning, and the real beauty of it all is that it's only the beginning." His smile nearly slipped as a pained expression crossed his features. "No one should take that accomplishment away from you."
Emma felt a sense of warmth flood through her at his adulations. "No one will," she said, breaking into a light scoff. "Especially since it took me this damn long to accept it in the first place.
He fixed her with an impassioned gaze. "Promise me you'll keep that conviction, love."
"I promise." She searched his eyes, wondering when they became so troubled. "Are you sure everything's OK with you?"
Hook broke off their look, scratching at his jaw. "Now that you mention it Granny's was serving something earlier called 'fish fingers', which greatly disturbed me in a digestive and seafaring sense," he said nonchalantly.
Reaching out, Emma placed her hand on his knee, stilling his motions. "Killian." She waited for him to meet her eyes once more. "Are you OK?"
He took a deep breath, wanting to place his hand over hers but settled it at his side instead. "I will be – once I know everyone will be safe from that witch." His voice fell to almost a whisper. "Once I know you'll be safe."
Emma grazed her thumb across the leather of his trousers before letting her hand settle back in her lap. "I want the same thing for you," she murmured. Hearing her phone buzz, Emma took it out of her pocket to check the text message. "It's Henry," she said with a fond smile. "He wants to know where I am with lunch. I swear that kid eats enough for an army these days."
"Well," exclaimed Hook, clearing his throat, "I most certainly do not recommend the fried fish extremities."
"Duly noted," she chuckled. Emma hesitated as she stood up. "I was actually looking for you to see if you wanted to join us?" she said casually. "Henry missed you at dinner last night – wanted to brag about his driving lesson again I think."
Licking his lips once more, Hook sorrowfully ignored the overwhelming urge to leap up and join her. "I apologize, love, I'll have to find another time to see the boy," he said, wincing at the flicker of hurt that was in her eyes. "I have a prior appointment with Mr Smee," he lied.
"Sure, no problem," said Emma, giving him a brief smile. "I'll, uh, let you know if there's any new developments with Zelena."
He nodded. "Aye, be sure that you do." He kept up his pleasant façade until Emma had left the building, before closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. He couldn't keep avoiding her forever; it was only availing in tormenting the both of them. Grabbing the satchel with his hook, he got up and strode purposefully out of the library back towards Gold's store. Hook knew Rumple had his books of even darker magic stowed away somewhere and he was determined to find them.
He was going to find a cure for his godforsaken curse if it killed him.