River sat on the sand on the banks of Neverland. "Are you sure, Peter?" she said to Peter Pan. He had just told her she had a brother. It was impossible. She had been abandoned on an island when she was three and came to Neverland when she was twelve, after Lost Boys had kidnapped her and brought her to Neverland. She didn't know what Pan wanted with her, after all, she was a girl and the only other girl in Neverland was Wendy Darling. But one thing she knew for sure, she was abandoned on the island alone. "Yes River, his name was Baelfire. He left shortly before you came. He wasn't your real brother. You had the same mother." Pan explained. "Can you just leave me alone for a little while to think about it?" River asked. It all was a blur of information. "Alright." Pan answered as he walked away. Suddenly the sand began to spin, and as she thought about where Baelfire was now, she fell into a cemetery and hit her head on a gravestone. She saw the name on the grave before she was knocked unconscious. NEAL CASSIDY.
….
"Hook!" Emma yelled. She had just found an unconscious girl lying at Neal's gravestone while she was out on sheriff patrol. "What, love?" Hook had just ran over from the other side of the cemetery. She took Hook with her everywhere she went, because between the Underworld and the Dark One, she had lost her boyfriend one too many times, and that was not going to happen again. "We need to get her to the hospital. Now." Emma said. "Alright, Swan, no need to be so agitated. It's just a girl." But there was something in his eyes, and Emma knew it, that told her this girl was not just some girl to him, that she meant something to him. As Hook carried the girl back to the hospital, Emma could see the look in his eyes, like he knew this girl from somewhere.
…..
"Who's this?" Dr. Whale asked. Emma and Hook had just gotten to the hospital with the girl. "We don't know. We found her lying on the ground at Neal's grave." Emma answered. "All I can do for her is bandage her head, but until she wakes up, I'm going to need you two to stay with her." Dr. Whale said. Hook sat on the edge of the bed, when Dr. Whale had left. "Well, love, looks like we're going to be here awhile." And as Emma rested her head on Hook's shoulder, Hook thought of when he last saw the girl in the bed behind him.
…
It had been a long time ago, when Milah had just died. "Daddy, where's Mummy?"River asked. River was in the captain's quarters when Hook had just come in. Then, she was only three, but even at that age, she could tell something was wrong. Before his encounter with Rumplestiltskin, he had sensed somebody coming on board his ship. "Wait here, River. I'm just going to check something on deck. I'll be back in a moment." he had told her. Now, Milah was gone. "Mummy's gone, River, and she's not coming back." Hook answered. He was depressed, but underneath that depression was fury and rage. The Dark One had not only taken Milah from him, but he had just stolen his daughter, the only other person he truly loved. The only reason the crew agreed to keep River on board was because of Milah. Now that she was gone, River could not stay on board much longer. They were getting close to an island, where he knew someone would take care of her. It killed Hook to let his daughter go, but he knew it was better than having the crew kill her, even if they did get to stay together.
…
"River, you can't stay with me any longer. I know you won't understand this now, but the crew will kill you if you stay with me. Go find a family that will take care of you." It pained Hook to say this, but he knew it was for the best. "I love you, Daddy," River said. "I love you too, River." Hook kneeled down on the sand and gave River one final hug, knowing that it was quite possibly the last hug he would ever give her.
…
"Where am I?" River had just woken up. "You're at a hospital, in a town called Storybrooke."Emma said. "Who are you?"she asked. "My name is River," River answered. "I'm from Neverland, and yes, Peter Pan is back." "Do you have any parents?"Emma asked. "Just a father, and that's the man sitting next to you,"River answered simply. Emma could see it now. She had Hook's electric blue eyes, and his dark hair. "My mother's name was Milah, and she was killed by Rumpelstiltskin." "I also have a half brother, Rumpelstiltskin's son, who goes by the name of Baelfire. Is he here?"River asked. "He's gone. I'm sorry." Emma said sadly. She became depressed whenever she thought of Neal, although she no longer loved him the way she loved Hook. "If you'll excuse us, I need to talk to your father for a moment." Emma said.
Emma practically pulled Hook out of the room and into the hallway. "You never told me you had a daughter with Milah!"Emma whisper shouted at Hook. "I thought she was dead! I left her on an island, not Neverland, 200 years ago!" Hook whisper shouted back. "That doesn't change anything! She seems keen on staying here, but we only have one extra room! What if Henry wants to stay one night?"Emma said. She was talking at a normal volume now. "We can convert the storage room at the end of the hall into a bedroom, and put the storage in the basement." Hook said. "It'll be fine." He seemed unsettled, but also excited. Who wouldn't be excited about their long - lost daughter coming to live with them? "Let's go tell River she can stay with us." Emma said.
…..
To Hook's surprise, River was going to stay with them once she got out of the hospital. There was only one problem. Introducing River to everyone. She already knew Ruby and Granny, the Charmings, Henry, Fraelyn, Zelena, Robin (Zelena's daughter) and Regina, but Emma had a feeling meeting the rest of the town wouldn't be so easy. Everybody was welcoming enough, but the shock of meeting her father again, seeing him with a new woman and family, and meeting an entire town was enough to overwhelm anyone. But River seemed to be settling in nicely, and she and Fraelyn became great friends.
The End