He came into the diner every day, sometimes for no other reason than to watch her. Watch the way she moved among the tables, watch the way she talked with the customers. To listen to her voice float over the room, her laugh break through the silence and the din of voices and pointless conversations that were taking place around him. He'd nurse the same drink—or several drinks—for hours, just to spend time in conversation with her, getting to know her, flashing her a smile or tossing a wink her way.
It was all part of the game they played.
Until one day, he didn't come. He didn't come in the morning, or the lunch hour. He didn't come in the evening—until the crowds were clearing out and the sun had long set. The night was in its prime and the moon shone full in the star-filled sky over the tiny town of Storybrooke.
That's when she heard the jingling bells of the door, and she turned to see his black-coated form strolling in, the same smile on his face as always when he laid eyes upon her.
"Ready to go, love?"
She just smiled and nodded, grabbing her coat. "Where are we going?" she asked as they left the diner and began walking down the deserted streets of the town. It was after midnight; the town was asleep, quiet; they had all of it to themselves, with no one to interrupt them. No one to spy on them…
"You'll see."
It was a quiet walk through the town, out to the docks and up to the deck of his ship, the wood of the harbor creaking with every step, every blowing breeze of the wind. The docks were aged and worn, and the wear and tear was evident, but his ship was grand, and she knew how to appreciate it. Knew he took pride in it. From end to end, it shone in the moonlight, under the stars—
and he held her close against him, under such light, upon the deck.
"You said you wanted adventure," he whispered into her ear, the words sounding so enticing from his lips. His arms held her against him, back to chest, and he continued whispering his promises to her. "Anywhere you want to go, love. Just say the word, and the world is yours."
With a smile, she turned to look up at him, the look in her eyes all the confirmation he needed.