Dark Horse: Chapter One: Home:
EMMA
The air went through her hair as they sailed toward the Storybrooke dock where everyone stood waiting patiently. She took a deep breath of relief holding Henry close to her, her fingers playing with his brown hair. She knew she was happy to have her son back and have everyone back in one piece but something inside her wasn't sitting right.
She turned slightly and looked up to see Hook staring at her, they met eyes and electricity coursed through her. Of course she knew she had chemistry with the infamous pirate but she didn't know if she was stable enough to march down that road just yet. She chewed on the side of her cheek in thought; did she want to go down that road, at all?
She was the type to deny things that she didn't want to accept, just take the map Pan gave to her as an example. How was it going to be easy to show Hook that she cared when she has titanium walls built around her from Neal? She sighed and looked back onto the sea, this was going to be a lot more complicated than she thought. Can't one thing her life just stay simple enough?
I'm going to win your heart.
Hook's whispered words crooned in her ear as a chill went down her spine. Why was it that a little over a year ago, she had nothing in life and then the next minute, she was the Savior, her birth parents were Snow White and Prince Charming, and to top it all off she also had Captain Hook and her son's father fighting over her heart?
She ran a shaky hand through her hair and felt someone plop down next to her. To her surprise, it was her mother, Snow. She gave her a small smile and felt Henry get up to go to Neal's request. "You know, I had that same look once." Emma turned her head inquiringly to her mother. "It may have not been the same reason, but it's the look of someone that's distraught about love."
Emma gave a nervous 'psh' noise with her lips and stood, "I'm not distraught." She looked up and saw they were so close to the dock. Snow gave unbelieving eyes to Emma, "Oh really? Well, then if you're not distraught why not talk to Neal about what sleeping arrangements Henry will have? Or talk to Hook about needing help with the ship, hmm?"
Emma gave her a withered look, "Okay, fine, but it's not a look about being distraught about love, it's just a look of being distraught." Snow's lips curved into a sly smile. "Of course, whatever you say. Just tell me one thing?" Emma turned exasperated with her oceanic eyes full of irritation. "Who are you really in love with?"
"I-" Emma started but the boat rocked to the side and Hook yelled, "We've reached the dock." Snow turned around to go greet her friends off the Jolly Roger. Emma sighed in relief and grabbed her jacket off the ship. "Emma," she heard her name being called and she turned to lock eyes with Hook. "Hook-" he flashed a charming smile at her, "I heard that Granny's has really good burgers, I've never gotten to try them until now, why don't we go?" Emma opened her mouth to ask where he got the idea of asking her out but Snow's sly smile got into her head.
"I'm guessing you heard from Mary Margret," "aye, but it still won't change my idea for taking you out for some simple dining." Emma gave him a small smile. "Let's just see where the Welcome Home celebration comes in first, shall we?" Hook gave a smile and held out his arm to her.
Emma entered her home and nearly dove face first into her bed, "Emma, darling, you should take a nice long shower and rest up." Emma poked her head up from her bed sheet to look at Snow. "Do you want me to rest up because you know that Hook asked me out or because I could just use the rest?" Snow turned her head up to stare out the window with a dignified smile on her face, "Both, now wash up." Emma groaned into her pillow.
In the end, Emma stayed sleeping until late into the night, even after her supposed date with Hook. This left her upset after she awoke to find it at 10 o'clock, two hours after her date. Emma sat straight up and began to panic going through her drawers to find suitable clothes to go apologize. "Emma, what are you doing?" Snow said rubbing her eyes, holding a glass of water. "I completely forgot about Hook! You let me sleep in?" "Well, I assumed you didn't want to go, I'm sure he's not heart-broken."
Emma gave her another angry look holding jeans and a sweater in her hands. "Go back to bed, Mary Margret." Snow gave a glare at her to hear those words. She didn't like the fact that her daughter was still calling her by her old alias. She sighed and went back to bed. Emma threw up her hands and ran her hand through her hair. "Can I make anyone else angrier at me?" With that, she dressed quickly and grabbed her boots and coat and marched out to her buggy.
To her relief, Hook was staring out on the sea, clasping and unclasing his hook. She entered the dock causing him to turn around. "You're a little late, love." "Hook, I know, I'm so sorry you have to listen to me-"
"I understand,"
she paused before could say anything else. "What did you just say?" Hook stood up and walked up to her, "I said, I understand, Henry probably wanted his parents to be together-" "No, no, Hook it wasn't like that. I slept in, I passed out from coming back home and Mary Margret didn't wake me up." Hook looked at her, "You're saying that you didn't go off with Neal and Henry off into a family-happy-sunshine-time?"
"No. I just slept in, I had no intention of standing you up, I swear." Hook raised an eyebrow. "You know you're going to have to pay me back for that failed attempt at me trying to win your heart." She raised her own eyebrow. "How can I pay you back?" Hook raised his, well, his hook and moved a small piece of hair behind Emma's ear. He leaned in close, "I think you know the question to that, lass." With that he gave a wink.
