His name was the Hook. At least that's what the press had taken to calling him. Killian chuckled, folding over his newspaper as his partner, Emma walked in and sat in the chair across from him.
"You think it's funny, Jones?" Emma and Killian had been working together in the police force for years now, patrolling Storybrooke's streets and protecting it from any menaces, even if this particular menace was him.
"Oh, come on, Swan, you have to give the guy some credit, he's clever, and quite dashing too," He winked at her, tossing her the blurry picture, positive that the mask obscured his face adeptly. "And who doesn't love the thrill of the chase?"
"The police, for one." She chucked the paper at his face, distracting him enough to steal his steaming cup of coffee. As she walked away from him, Killian thought, and not for the first time, that they'd work well together - not just as partners but as a couple, a couple who actually bought two cups of coffee so that they could both enjoy it. But, alas, Emma had built walls so high around her and her ten year old boy that you'd have to climb a bloody beanstalk to get anywhere near them. Not to mention Killian had the unfortunate part time job of a vigilante that kept him busy.
It wasn't as if he'd planned on being Storybrooke's most wanted, but after years of working in the police force, he realised that things weren't getting done. Killian had became 'The Hook' after his last partner, his brother, had been killed on a case - not even a serious case, he was just giving a kid a warning for drugs but then there was a gun and-
"Jones!" His head snapped up, coming eye-to-eye with their boss, Regina Mills, "Are you going to sit there all day day-dreaming or are you going to do the job I pay you for."
"Sorry, Swan's just questioning the homicide suspect? Zelena? Before we headed out."
"Good. Well I want the two of you working tonight."
"Regina-"
"No buts, the Hook's suppose to show up again and I want my two best cops on the job."
"David and Mary Margret not good enough for you anymore?" Killian smirked, it was true that the two had been the most legendary partnership on the force, but they'd gone baby-gaga since Neal was born and refused to go on a case together or hire a baby sitter that wasn't Emma.
"Do it, Jones."
He grumbled, he wouldn't be able to do his other job tonight, and it would no doubt be a long and boring wait for someone that wasn't going to turn up - but at least he'd get to spend the evening with Emma.
Their night shift was uneventful, as the only two people in the usually busy office, the silence was nice. But Killian was about to break it.
"So Swan," He leaned forward, bouncing his prosthetic hand on his knee, "What do you think of this mysterious Hook?"
She raised her head from the stack of papers she was buried in to look at Killian, "He's a criminal." She told him firmly.
He snorted, "Regina thinks that if she says something enough times, people will believe it, but I don't."
"What do you want me to say? The Hook, he goes outside the law to get what he wants, he's working against us."
He kicked off from the desk, letting the wheels on the bottom of his desk chair spin him over to Emma's side. "Really? Is that what you think? You don't think he'd dark, and mysterious, and perhaps a little intriguing?" His breath tickled her cheek as she her head turned to meet his eyes.
"Not even a little intriguing." She said defiantly, biting down on her lip as she realised how close he was.
"Do you prefer them straight laced, then? A good boy, like August, maybe?" She held back a groan, wishing that he hadn't brought up the embarrassing crush she had on the boy she'd been in care with who'd thought of her as more of a sister.
"I regret telling you anything."
"You should," He chuckled lowly, sweeping a piece of her from her eyes, "How is the heart-felt writer nowadays?"
"Working. Which is what we should be doing." She slapped his hand away, but he only shrugged.
"We are working, we are at work, in our work place, there is a pile of work on your work desk - and our boss only asked us to be here to monitor the radio."
"Well since we are at work," She mocked, turning away from him, "We should catch up on paperwork."
He pouted, one arm still resting on the back of her chair, itching to be curled around her, "You're no fun."
"Fun's not going to get us promoted."
"We don't need to be promoted, we earn enough." He waved a hand dismissively, rolling back to his own desk.
"Tell that to Henry - his birthday's coming up and there's this author that he really wants to meet…" She trailed off, looking uncertainly at him, Emma never liked to share her personal life at work so Killian didn't know much about her son.
"So he likes books, then? I could give you some of Liam's old collection - he was into fairy stories and the like."
"Henry loves those the best." She smiled at him, reaching out to hold his hand in a silent thank you.
"Hey, Em," Ruby walked through to the office, followed closely by Victor, "We're here to take over."
In her surprise, Emma had retracted her hand from Killian's grasp and was now stood up and on full alert, "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow," She glanced at the clock that read that it was a little after one, "Or today. Bye!" She waved grabbing her leather jacket on the way out.
When two sets of questioning eyes set themselves on him, Killian shrugged in response.
The Hook hadn't made an appearance that night, but when the next night rolled over he was ready to hit the streets again. For a small town, there had been a lot of problems in it during the last few years.
Tonight the Hook was staking out Cruella De Vil's mansion just out of town, the police suspected her of using dogs to make fur coats, but had no proof and Cruella, the upstanding citizen, was not willing to give it to them. So that left the Hook.
He was half way to the house when he heard it.
"Get the hell off of me!" Emma yelled, fighting against her attackers. Killian swerved on his bike, pulling over to the alley the voice was coming from.
He moved fast, catching the attackers by surprise, and it wasn't long until they were lying on the ground. Though Killian would have loved to take all the credit for saying his lady-love, he knew that Emma was extremely capable - probably even more so than him.
"Thanks," She panted, "The Hook, right?"
He nodded and bit his tongue, not trusting himself to speak in case he revealed his identity.
"Good. Thanks. Killian."
His jaw dropped, "How-"
"I've fought with you for years now, you think I wouldn't notice you style? And, you're the only person in Storybrooke with a prosthetic hand- I checked the database."
"Clever, Swan."
"So, a vigilante?"
He grunted in response, this had not been how he imagined telling her (not that he had seriously imagined telling her, he was planning on living a long Emma-less life, but she wasn't sticking to the plan), he'd been more prepared for her to run screaming and tell the police (and by police, he means, Regina and co.). He was even prepared for her to jump into his arms about how heroic he was and how she realised that she loved him now, but that was a personal fantasy he tried not to indulge in too often.
But this Emma, the calm and almost calculated Emma he saw everyday he was (surprisingly) unprepared for.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay." She nodded, turning to walk home. She paused, "You know it's a long walk and there's all sorts of dangerous things."
"Vigilantes and the such." Killian agreed, "I could give you a ride home on the Roger." He gestured to his bike.
She laughed, "If I didn't know it was you before, that would have given it away.
When they arrived at her door (her apartment door, because he was a gentleman as well as a part-time-menace), she paused.
"Thanks, Killian."
He tipped his head in acknowledgement, but then something occurred to him, "Why were they after you, anyway?"
She looked sheepish, "The De Vil case - she'd do a lot to keep us from pursuing it."
"I thought you agreed to give it up!" He growled, "You could have been hurt, I'll deal with her tomorrow."
"Why? Because you're got a Hook? We can deal with it at the station."
"But-"
"Killian. I'm fine," She smiled softly, putting her hand on his arm and pressing her lips to his cheek, "I'll see you at work tomorrow."
And he did.
For the Captain Swan AU week.