Hook couldn't explain the tightening in his gut as he prepared to enter Lilah's room the next morning. He also couldn't explain why she was the only thought that had filled his mind the previous night. She was pretty, sure, he couldn't deny that, nobody who looked at her would be able to ignore that fact, but there was something more than her looks that interested him. He was curious to know more about her, to talk with her, and learn more of her mysterious past. She was secretive about her past, that he already knew, but he hoped she would feel comfortable talking with him, because he knew he wasn't going to be able to ignore this feeling of wanting to know her.

He knocked briefly before pushing open the door and peeking his head in.

"Hello? All right if I come in?" he asked.

"Hook?" Lilah raised her head a little from the pillow and smiled at him. "You came back!" she said.

He couldn't tell for sure, but he thought she sounded pleased. "I told you I would," he said, entering the room fully. "Is it all right that I came?"

"Of course," she said. "I just wasn't sure if you had meant it or not."

"I always mean what I say," he said.

"Good to know," she said, smiling again.

He adored how she smiled. He had always wished Emma would smile more often…Hook stopped himself suddenly, confused as to why he was mentally comparing the two girls. Lilah is just a girl that I've just met, she's sweet, but I'm not interested in her like that…he told himself. Emma is the woman for me, isn't she? Even as he thought it, he couldn't help thinking of Emma and Neal looking at apartments together, as he had overheard Henry telling Ruby about that morning at Granny's, and at the same time, he wasn't sure he was entirely disappointed.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Off and on," she said.

"Well, I had a sneaking suspicion that you might be in need of a little pick me up…" he said.

"Rum?" she asked.

He paused briefly, wondering if she was being serious. "Umm, well, no…not entirely what I was thinking…"

She attempted a laugh. "I was joking," she said. "What did you have in mind?"

He raised his hand, finally revealing his surprise. "Breakfast," he said. "From Granny's, the best place in town…well, more so the only place in town, but she certainly knows how to cook a decent meal."

"You brought me breakfast?" she asked. "That's so thoughtful."

"I thought you might be in need of a break from hospital toast and pudding," he said. "And if you promise not to get me in trouble with the good doctor, I even snuck in a cup of coffee."

She reached out immediately. "Give it here!"

He grinned and handed her the cup of coffee. "I added a little something special to it," he said.

"Rum?" she asked again.

"Maybe when you're all the way better," he said, "but I don't think that's exactly what the doctor ordered." He pulled a small bottle from his pocket. "However, that doesn't mean I can't add a little to mine."

She smiled. "Pirate to the core, aren't you?"

"Someone's got to fill the job," he said.

"How good of you to step up," she said. "But really, what did you put in my coffee?" She sniffed at it and looked up at him with curiosity in her bright eyes.

"Nothing dangerous, you have my word, as a pirate," he said.

"Is that supposed to reassure me?" She asked. She took a sip of the coffee, evaluated the taste for a moment, then glanced up at him and smiled. "Nutmeg," she said.

He nodded. "Good guess," he said.

"It's delicious," she said. "Thank you."

"I find plain coffee a little bitter," he said. "I know it probably makes me less manly to admit."

"Not at all," she said.

He returned to the bag he had brought and retrieved a small box.

"More?" she asked.

"Well, one cannot live on coffee alone," he said. He opened he box and handed her a large blueberry muffin.

"You're spoiling me," she said, then she paused, "or bribing me."

He laughed. "A little paranoid, aren't you?"

"You are a pirate," she said, "one can never be too careful."

"It's not a bribe," he said. "Though, if you feel like sharing breakfast with me, and perhaps telling me a little more about yourself, I wouldn't protest…"

"Sneaky," she said. "And while I appreciate the food and the coffee, I truly don't have anything to tell you. I'm not as interesting as you want me to be."

"I highly doubt that," he said. "Giving me a false name alone has made you immensely interesting."

"I told you, there are certain people I have tried to leave behind in my life, and I have found that having a new name makes it a little easier to do so," she said. "Does it really matter what my name is?"

"You also mentioned that you've traveled realms by ship," he said. "I find that fascinating. Perhaps you have traveled with someone I know…"

"Perhaps I have," she said, but she didn't offer anything else.

"All right," he said, holding his good hand up. "I surrender, keep your secrets, but don't think you're going to learn any of mine either!"

He pulled a chair up beside her bed. "Is it all right if I sit, at least? Perhaps we can chat about non personal things," he asked. Hook sat, and for a moment they were both silent, drinking their coffee and eating muffins.

"I had a brother," she said, finally breaking the silence.

Hook was surprised to hear her say anything, and it took him a moment to respond. "Oh?"

"A twin brother," she said.

"You say 'had,'" he said. "Did something happen to him."

"He's gone," she said.

"I'm sorry," he said. "How did he…"

"He's not dead," she said. "At least, I don't think he is. I can't be sure."

Hook hesitated, unsure how to answer.

"It's been almost eight years since I last saw him," she said. "We used to be inseparable. We left the forest together, and traveled for years together, but then he made a choice and it wasn't me…"

"I'm so sorry," Hook said. "That must have been very lonely for you to lose him in that way."

"It was a long time ago," she said. "He made his choice, and I've learned to live without him."

Even though she sounded confident when she said it, Hook could tell she didn't mean it. Her clear eyes had grown sad as she talked about her brother, and he knew that sort of pain all too well.

"I once had a brother, too," he said.

"You did?" she asked, pushing herself up on one elbow and turning to look at him better. "Were you close?"

"Very," he said. "He was the only real family I had, and I would have done anything for him. We sailed together. He was my captain."

"What happened to him?" She asked.

"He died," Hook said. "He too made a poor choice, and it cost him his life."

"And is that what made you a pirate?" she asked.

Hook was surprised by her discernment. He nodded, but realized he had said more about his past than he had meant to. It wasn't something he talked about, and he wasn't sure why he had told her so easily. He decided not to say anything else for fear of saying too much.

She seemed to realize he was done talking about his past, and she asked no more questions.

After that they didn't discuss anything else that could be considered personal. He mostly told her about the town and the people she would meet. He stayed for nearly another hour before she admitted to feeling tired, and he left her alone to rest. Though before he left, she asked if he would consider returning the next day, and he agreed.

Over the next couple days, Hook kept up his morning visits, each time bringing coffee flavored with nutmeg and whatever Granny's muffin of the day was. Though for the most part their conversations remained casual, he did learn that she had been orphaned when she was little, that she had visited Wonderland, Oz, and the Land Without Color, and that she had lost a ring during the curse.

When he asked her if the ring was important to her, he had thought she might cry. With a little more prodding, she admitted it had belonged her to her mother, and it was the only item of her mother's she had left in the world. At that moment, Hook became determined to help her track it down, and he felt equally as certain that it would likely have ended up in Rumple's shop as most lost items seemed to do. Though, Rumple and Belle were away on their honeymoon, so Hook knew he wouldn't be able to search for the ring immediately.

On the third morning, Hook was heading towards Lilah's room, coffee and muffin in hand, when he crossed paths with Emma leaving from a visit with her parents.

"Hook!" She said, clearly surprised. "Hi…"

"Hello, sweetheart," he said. "How's the family?"

"Good," she said, "really good. My parents are going home today, so I've been given the task of making sure the apartment is completely ready for the arrival of the new baby."

"Have they given him a name yet?" Hook asked.

"Not yet," she said. She hesitated and glanced at the two cups of coffee he carried. "Are you here to see me?" she asked.

He lifted an eyebrow and shook his head. "Now why would I do that? Didn't we just discuss how I'm done following you around, love?"

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm here to check on Lilah," he said.

"The monkey girl?" Emma asked.

"Is that what they're calling her in town?" he asked.

"Well nobody knows her, or knows where she came from," Emma said. "Nobody trusts her to be honest."

"I trust her," he said. "She's not a threat. She's just lost, like the rest of us."

Emma didn't look convinced, but Hook wasn't in the mood for chatting with her anymore. "Anyway, good to see you, Emma," he said. "I best be on my way now."

"Right, okay…"

When she didn't move out of his way, Hook stepped around her, nodding his head slightly in a farewell. He was surprised how easy it was to have a short, simple conversation with Emma. There was a time not too long ago when he would have said everything he could think of just to try and buy another couple seconds with her, but now, somehow, he no longer felt that need.

"Give my best to Bae," Hook called back over his shoulder, feeling a sudden need to give her one more sign that he was unconcerned with how she was spending her days now, or with whom.