Twelve years. Twelve years of smiles, laughter, tears, hugs, screaming fits, nightmares, pillow forts and hot coco with cinnamon. But most importantly, twelve years of having a family, being a mother and finally feeling loved, needed and like she belonged somewhere with a purpose. Yeah, it was cheesy and she knew it. Emma Swan would never admit it, if asked she'd just casually shrug her shoulders and say, "yeah, you know, he's a great kid." She'd never be one of those parents who'd wax poetic about how amazing and transformative parenthood was. That was gross. But she knew it was true, the past twelve years were the best of her small life. At least, she had felt very confident in that truth until a stranger appeared at her door. Then suddenly Emma Swan wasn't so sure about any truths anymore.
He had been formal, calling her 'Miss Swan.' Dark hair, light eyes, an Irish accent? Dressed all in dated fashions made from leather, like some time traveling rock star,...or even a pirate, perhaps. Claiming he knew her, that her family was in trouble. Throwing himself at her?! She'd never seen this stranger before! Surely, there was a mental institution out there somewhere looking for this man?
Emma dropped Henry off at school as usual. Which just meant she walked with him to the corner and then parted ways. Twelve year olds aren't into PDA from their mothers in front of their class mates. So Emma gave him a quick high five and a "see ya later, kid!" And then she hurried off to the subway to try and make it to work on time for once. Although as she ran down the subway steps, she glanced quickly at her phone and grumbled as she threw it back in her pocket. Looks like she'd be late again, a beautiful normal day.
"You're late Swan!" The Captain barked at her as she sulked into the precinct quietly hoping no one would notice. But, yeah a room full of detectives are hard to sneak past.
"That's Detective Swan, Sir." Emma responded with a side smile trying to glaze over her tardiness with some lighthearted banter. No such luck.
"Third time this week Detective, shape up!"
Emma just nodded and sank into her desk.
"Detective Swan my ass, when's the last time you were in the field?" Detective James, her old partner leaned on to her desk with his familiar sarcastic grin. When Emma first joined the precinct she'd been partnered with James and they'd been out in the field, checking out crime scenes, questioning witnesses, chasing down bad guys. But then about a year ago Emma took a bullet that nearly claimed her life. Determined to not leave Henry an orphan, a situation she knew all too well from her own childhood, she'd asked to be taken out of the field and be given a desk job.
"Staying safe for the kid, James." She smirked at him, "maybe you'd understand if you ever decided to let someone into your life for more than, oh I don't know, one night." Emma playfully lifted her eyebrows at him while pushing him off her desk, "Now shoo, I have very important paper work to do."
"Okay okay, Mother Goose," Detective James lifted his hands in a fake surrender. Emma rolled her eyes at his nick name for her, he often called her Goose instead of Swan. "Good luck with your nursery rhymes," He gestured to her pile of folders and papers, "I've got big boy work to do. Word is a crazy was just arrested down on Canal, a drunken Irish pirate got into a few bar fights and is claiming he needs a savior to help fight a witch...ah, you can't make up this stuff Goose!" He walked off with a chuckle.
Emma smiled to herself while starting to shift through her pile when suddenly she snapped up her head. "Hey wait, James, did you say an Irish pirate?!"
He sat slumped over in the holding cell. This mission was not really going as planned. Yeah, he knew it was far fetched to expect the kiss to work. She had literally no memory of him, much less loved him. But, oh, he loved her. And it had been so long since he'd actually seen her not in a memory or a dream, he just hadn't been able to help himself when he saw her. Hook leaned his throbbing head back on the concrete wall with a groan. He'd known that a drink hadn't been the answer, but he had hoped that maybe it would help him think. Try to figure out his next move, but instead it just depressed him and angered him all at once. He'd come too far to give up, he'd made promises to her family. But mostly he knew, he'd done it for selfish reasons. To see her again, he'd had no idea how much it would hurt to see those empty confused eyes. She didn't know him. And in his drunken state this had angered and frustrated him more than he'd expected, next thing he knew he'd been throwing punches and yelling things. Things that sounded crazy in this world. He should of known better, but then they came to lock him away.
Emma strolled through the police station, stopping to talk to guards and flashing her badge. They pointed her towards the holding cells, second one on the right. She walked slowly towards it, not really sure why she was there. The whole precinct had been gossiping about the 'crazy Irish pirate.' all morning. A slow crime day apparently. He hadn't committed any serious crimes, just gotten drunk in a bar stupid enough to open its doors to morning drunks, thrown a few punches and caused a scene yelling crazy things about curses and witches and how he was a pirate, apparently. The bar tender had called the police and they had just taken him away till he sobered up. There was really no reason for a detective from the third floor to be down there talking to a disorderly conduct misdemeanor. Yet, here she was. Something drew her here. Her curiousity, maybe? It couldn't possibly be the same guy from this morning, but something whispered to her. Emma was good at listening to her instincts, that's what made her a good detective. So she'd finally gave in and made the trip down to the holding cells, unsure of what she was expecting to find down there, if anything.
"Well, looks like you've had an interesting day so far." Emma stood with her arms crossed staring in at the leather clad slumped figure. He raised his head with a start at the sound of her voice.
"Mi- Miss Swan!" He barely gasped, his voice low. He scrambled to his feet, still unsteady. He cleared his hoarse voice, "Emma." He said with the slightest smile.
Emma furrowed her brow and squinted at him, "How do you know my name? I don't remember ever meeting you before..."
"Ah," Hook rubbed his head with his good hand. "Like I said, we know each other, you just don't remember."
"Huh, well why don't you refresh my memory?" Emma shifted her weight while taking in his appearance, looking for some familiar clue.
"Well.." He looked lost, like he didn't know where to start. "You know me as Hook," he raised his fake hand with a grin, "and I went up a beanstalk with you and fought a giant... Then followed you to Neverland to rescue Henry from Pan..."
Emma was shaking her head at the nonsense, but stopped when she heard her son's name.
"Henry?"
"Yes, your son, Henry." Hook felt relieved that at least something he had said rang a bell, even if it was just Henry's name.
"Yeah, I know my son's name, the question is how do you?"
Hook sighed, "I'm telling you, we have met before, you just had your memory erased... Er then rebooted I guess."
At this Emma laughed out loud, "Memory erased? Rebooted? What am I? A computer? Everything you are saying is impossible. Bean stalks? Giants? Neverland?!" Emma was still chuckling despite herself, no wonder the whole precinct had been entertained by this guy, "Listen, I don't know how you know me and my kid, but I seriously suggest you keep your distance if you don't want to end up in here again."
Emma was turning to leave and Hook panicked, "yeah, uh, Wait! I know all of this sounds mental, but you really need to listen to me! Your family is in danger-"
"Is that a threat?" Emma stepped forward.
Hook stumbled back a fraction of a step, "Most certainly not, Miss Swan."
"That's Detective Swan." Emma replied briskly and flashed her badge and gave him one last look before hurrying back down the hall away from him. Hook leaned on the bars watching her go. "Of course, Detective." He quietly sighed in his solitude.