"Wakey wakey, Captain."
Hook groaned at the sing song voice that woke him up, sounding too damn pleased, no doubt to see him laying awkwardly across the uncomfortable cot.
"Morning, Your Majesty," he answered, sounding as close to civil as can be expected. Especially in front of the prince. Hook noticed the young boy trailing behind David.
"Hi Hook!" Henry chirped enthusiastically but kept his distance from the cell. He knew Hook wouldn't hurt him but Gramps could be a little bit of a hothead when it came to the pirate captain.
"Little Majesty," he nodded to the boy who grinned cheerfully at the title. It wasn't exactly meant to be a compliment but Henry's joy made a ghosting of an amused smirk appear on Hook's mouth.
"Gramps, can I open the cell?" Henry asked suddenly, attempting to hide his poorly restrained excitement. "Emma let's me do it." He quickly added, seeing David's hesitation. The prince raised an eyebrow at the boy, clearly doubting that as the truth, and immediately Henry looked slightly guilty. "Er, she did for Mary Margaret."
Unamused understanding dawned David's face as his hands made their way to his hips in his classic heroic stance.
"What? No trusty Sheriff to release me this fine morn?" Hook baited. He wouldn't admit that he was in fact disappointed to not see the blonde enter through the doors instead of her father but he knew it had to do with what happened the night before.
It was her own bloody fault. The damn woman wouldn't stop talking.
The grandson-grandpa duo ignored his inquisitions.
"Please?" Henry pleaded hopefully.
David sighed after a moment, fishing his keys from where they hung on his belt loop to hand them to his grandson. Henry grinned winningly, virtually running up the cell door. But still David was close behind, glaring at Hook from over Henry's head.
"No fear, mate," Hook rolled his eyes, standing to wait for the cage to open. "The lad has nothing to fear from me. Unlike the lot of you, he has good taste." Finally the door swung open and he paused after taking a step out, breathing in dramatically. "Ah, that my dear friends, is the sweet taste of freedom," he smirked winningly. David muttered something under his breath, stalking back over to his desk.
"Your family is distinctly cross, huh lad?" Hook teased, ruffling the boy's hair, unsurprised with the prince's reaction.
"Nah, I think that's just around you," Henry answered innocently, sticking his hands in his pockets as he stared up at the pirate.
"How...charming," Hook drawled out, clearly unimpressed. He glanced down and remembered a very important detail. "Now, I seem to be missing a very important possession," he turned to David, getting to the real matter at hand, so to say.
Emma walked into the station after she figured enough time had passed, figuring her father would just want Hook gone as soon as possible.
Was it cowardly tricking your father to release the inmate you accidentally made out with the night before and was afraid to face due to said kiss by claiming needing extra sleep?
Yes, it was but Emma didn't particularly care at the moment.
The lack of sleep was true though. She couldn't seem to get comfortable and her mind wouldn't shut down long enough to get rest. But she refused to believe that had anything to do with the pirate in question. Things had just been really stressful lately.
She felt as if she had dodged a bullet as she entered but that feeling was quickly dashed when she walked in to find Hook and Henry chatting animatedly on the couch while David stood by with arms crossed from across the room.
Achieving some form of composure, she moved over to her father, horrified eyes looking away from the happy duo to stare at him accusingly.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"He won't leave," David replied petulantly, sounding frustrated.
"Actually," Hook spoke up, clearly eavesdropping as he stood up to walk to them, Henry trailing behind like a good pup. "He won't return my hook so I was forced to wait for the darling sheriff to assist me," he explained arrogantly before a smirk bloomed across his face as his attention focused in on her solely. "Hello, love. Sleep well?"
Anger flared up in her at the insinuation, nevermind if he was right, but she was thankful that David took that opportunity to speak up and deter her from doing anything stupid. Like punching him in that pretty face of his.
"You're a danger to this town now. We can't just let you waltz out of here with a weapon strapped to your hand," the prince argued, holding out a hand from his folded arms to indicate to Hook's arm.
"No hand to strap it to, Your Highness," Hook replied coldly. "And need I remind you that if you don't hand it over willingly, then I have no hesitations to use force," he threatened blatantly, his voice taking on some of his slowly building temper. But despite his tone, he seemed to be holding himself back and Emma wondered if it was for Henry's sake. The thought did more funny things to her stomach that reminded her too much of the night before so she ignored it as she stepped between the two men.
"Woah, ok now, everyone just take a second and return to your corner," she persuaded, her voice becoming more insistent when David took an intimidating step closer and Hook's back straightened, ready for a fight. Emma looked up at him with wide eyes, silently begging him to stop it, knowing he'd be the match to the explosion if anything happened, but he kept his eyes on her father.
It's like he had a damn deathwish. It's the only thing that made sense because who the hell attempts to steal from Granny for shits and giggles and then tempt Prince Charming into murder in the course of twenty four hours? He's just lucky the old woman didn't actually pull the trigger on her rifle last night and instead called the sheriff.
Although Granny and Red did look far too pleased to watch Emma practically drag the flirtatious pirate from the premises.
The pair continued to glare at each other, obviously considering whether or not to listen to her and if not then what their best first hit would be, but after a moment they stood down. Stances relaxed but neither moved away from Emma's outstretched hands that put extra distance between them.
"Good," she praised dryly, glancing down at Henry who looked oddly calm after the exchange. Damn, he was getting too used to this kind of shit. Crap crap crap. What would a good mom do? What would Snow do? "Ok. Now apologize," she ordered, looking just as uncomfortable with the idea as they surely were going to be.
"What?" David asked, looking bewildered.
"Excuse me?" Hook looked at her, tilting his ear towards the blonde in a clear dare for her to repeat herself.
"You heard me. You're both grown men and it's time you demonstrated what that looks like," Emma told them, sounding more confident in herself as she took a step towards Henry and rested her hands on his shoulders. It was clear he knew what she was pulling but was more than willing to watch the show and watched them with childlike interest.
David and Hook glared at her, not liking the insult to their manhood.
"David, apologize for keeping Hook's property hostage," Emma ordered, for once feeling like an actual mother but unfortunately it was pointed at her new found father and he-...Hook. David huffed, avoiding the other man's smirk before sucking it up.
"I'm sorry for keeping the people of Storybrooke safe by keeping your murder weapon," he finally, sort of, apologized. "My bad." Emma rolled her eyes but figured it was the best she was going to get.
"Ok, your turn," she said, pointing at Hook. "Apologize for hitting my dad." David seemed to momentarily warm at the word but hid it well.
"Lass, I'm a pirate. We don't apologize," he told her like it explained everything. She supposed it probably did but she wasn't letting him out of it that easily.
Ok, so maybe she was having a little too much fun with this but she didn't get nearly enough entertainment in this town and she deserved a few laughs.
"Not much of a pirate if I accidentally misplace your hook and get a warrant to confiscate your ship," she deadpanned. "Shouldn't be too hard either. I heard you um, corrupted, the town's only judge's daughter back in the Enchanted Forest," she added, aware of her impressionable son next to her. Hook's jaw clenched but he tried to not look too affected by the threat although there was a dash of admiration in his too-blue eyes.
"Well played, darling," he acknowledged. At least he knew when to quit. Most of the time. He turned back to David. "Many regrets, Your Majesty. It was nothing personal." Hook told him, holding out his hand for David to shake, and Emma was impressed by the honesty in his voice. David grabbed the hand hesitantly, nodding at him after a moment. "Well. Mostly." Her head fell back in exasperation but chose to let it go. Hook looked back to her, waiting for his treat for being a good boy. "Happy now, love?"
"Ecstatic," Emma replied flatly, moving into her office to retrieve his hook. He followed behind, leaving Henry and David to themselves as he leant against the doorway. She walked back up to him, holding the attachment in front of her smirking face. "I better not find this in anyone," she warned.
Hook plucked the cool metal from her hand, genuine smile on his face as he fastened it to the mechanism. "No promises, love," he winked but she knew that he was mostly teasing.
"You know, you should stop baiting David," she told him seriously, catching her father's glance over his shoulder through the glass barriers.
"Oh come now, I think he's actually starting to warm up to me," he retorted, looking offended at the implication and making her snort.
"Was that your definition of affection back there?"
"Not exactly," he replied, voice dropping slightly. "I'd wager last night was more my pace, princess." His fingers brushed inconspicuously over her forearm and she willed her body not to shiver.
"Hook," she warned. He looked as if he wanted to say more but Henry chose that moment to interrupt them.
"Hey mom, what do you want for lunch? Gramps said he's gonna run to Granny's soon."
"Just one sec, kid," she replied, smiling reassuringly at him before he went back by David. "Well, looks like you're all set, Captain," she sighed, turning her attention to Hook, blatantly ignoring the previous tension.
"Aye," he agreed, sounding more disgruntle than before but he was gone a second later, leaving her feeling slightly bombarded. She walked out of her office, standing in the main room as they all watched Hook breeze passed the window.
"Damn pirate," she muttered under her breath.
"I don't like him," David spoke up.
"Think he'd tell me about Neverland?" Henry spoke up happily, letting the captain meddle his way into another part of her life.
Emma groaned at the mere thought.
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