Hi, so here is chapter three and this story is somewhat heating up. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I intend to publish at least one if not two more before I start uni and my updates become a bit more sporadic.

While I am a huge fan of Emma I am also a huge fan of Regina and while she has done bad things I dont subscribe to the views that she should be blackened for the rest of her episodes on the show so therefore I do show Regina some of the benefit of the doubt in this story.

Disclaimer-Nothing is mine just Jack.

Please Read and Review.


Who Is He (And What Is He To You)

Chapter 3-Home Is Where The Fort Is.

Jack comes to Storybrooke, Emma moves officially. Henry meets his grandfather (one of them) Gold is somewhat amazed by the turn of events and Regina is both furious and intrigued (even if she doesn't want to admit it)


Storybrooke. Now

Emma was waiting for him when he crossed the line into Storybrooke. She had agreed to meet him when her son got out of school in the little diner known as Granny's. Jack had spent most of the drive trying to get Reggie to calm down. Long car drives did still not agree with his brother's dog and Jack who had once down forty eight hours driving in the desert with nothing but smoking, cold coffee and country music to sustain him had no trouble with the drive but his dog was whining something dreadful.

Finally he found a place to park took Reggie out of the car and pushed open the door to the diner.

There was one moment where he noted that everyone was looking at him. Once upon a time when his hair had not been turning grey and his gun was not so obviously on display and he had been in uniform he might have been amused. Now he was nearing the top end of fifty more than he would have liked and his back was aching and he had a German shepherd in one hand a box that contained a very long sniper rifle that he couldn't be without and he was too tired to care.

He sat down at the end of the bench noting with his vision the girl in red who was dressed like she was off to work a street corner, the man in black who was gazing at him with an expression of interest (and there was something about him that set Jack's teeth on edge without so much as a glance in his direction again) and an older woman whose eyes were on the box as if she was desperate to ask what was in it. Jack eyed her and then remembering the name of the place and taking into account the fact that she was standing behind the counter he decided to go for the plunge.

"Coffee black when you got a second and sugar when you have two" he said with a wink.

That snapped her back into action.

"Err…we don't allow dogs in here"

"Ah, then were going to have a problem. Considering that this dog is going with me regardless and I intend to take a room here. My daughter told me that this seems to be the only place in town that can host strangers"

There was another loud pause and then the man in black spoke.

"Daughter?"

"Emma Swan" Jack said turning to look him dead on in the eye.

The man choked on the coffee once he had recovered he looked Jack up and down and he was reminded once upon a long time ago of a drill instructor he had once known. There was a pause where they stared at each other as if taking in the measure of each other.

"Oh she's going to love this" the man said and then without another word and probably without paying for the coffee he exited. Jack watched him go with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm gonna go with a shot in the dark here and say that's Mr Gold" he said finally. The older woman looked at him and then nodded sliding across a coffee. He dumped his four sugars in it and drank two gulps. Since his time in the corps he had always took his coffee this way since back then it had kept him awake when needed it. He caught the man next to him staring and he shrugged. "Old Marine habit" he said. "Keeps sleep away"

"Oh" the woman said brightening immediately. "Is that why you have a dog? Because Regina…I mean Madam Mayor might accept that…it's my permit you see. You have to have one if you have a pet and…"

Jack snorted his coffee out. A pet permit? Ok now he understood where Emma was coming from when she said he had to see this woman up close to believe that she even existed.

"Don't worry about Reg love. He used to sniff the bombs out over there. I guarantee you that he's trained. A little too much sometimes. And as for Regina well I think I can handle her"

"Oh boy" the man said next to him where he had been feeding Reggie his bacon. "That's just all we need. Another one of them. Regina's best left alone. Told Emma Swan that when she was arrested for drink driving"

Jack rolled his eyes his mind working furiously. She had neglected to tell him that and he knew expunged or not Emma had a record. What the hell was she doing in this place anyway. Something must be off. Hell his instincts were telling him to take Emma and run and he had only been here three or four minutes.

The door opened then however and he found he did not have to ask any more questions because Emma came in. Jack could see the change in her instantly. Gone was the look of the girl who had been abandoned too many times and there was something healthy about her that he suspected had something to do with the dark haired kid at her side whose eyes were on him in an instant.

Jack took her hug and squeezed her tight still eyeing the kid with one eye. He looked like Neal. Damn. The very word made him angry. He had spent two years near as damn it cleaning that man's mess up and here was the living proof. He didn't begrudge the kid his parentage anymore than he begrudged Emma's but he couldn't help but admit even to himself he had been hoping the kid looked more like his mother than his father.

"Dad" Emma said in a tone she had not used since she had ran him for bail money. "I am so glad you're here" There was something in her tone that made him wonder how many battles she had been fighting against this kid's adoptive mother and he made sure to hug her back.

"Don't worry kid I'm here" he said pulling back. "You look good" he said smiling at her because that was the truth she did look good. In fact she looked better than good, she had always been beautiful (though perhaps he might have been biased as her father) but she looked content here. He might have gotten it wrong he thought to himself. Perhaps the move had been good for her.

Hell she had surprised him before.

He turned to look the kid dead in the eye. Yeah he was Neal's son alright. Same hair, same stance. He had only met Neal once and that was when Emma had introduced him and told Jack something about a plan to go to Tallahassee that sounded half insane and half thought about. That had ended up with Jack getting a phone call at midnight from Emma, three days it had taken for him to get the full story. Emma had taken a deal rather than her chances and had got a reduced eighteen months sentence rather than the three years the DA was going for. Neal had fucked off but not before giving Emma this kid.

Either way Jack was not happy with the man.

"Hello" he said holding out his hand. "My name is Jack."

He could feel Emma's eyeroll but honestly he wasn't sure how to introduce himself to the kid. Emma's son.

"Hi" the kid said back grinning. And suddenly Jack didn't have to worry about him because when he smiled like that he looked a lot like Emma. He was Emma's son when he smiled and that was enough for him.

"I'm Henry"

Jack had to swallow harshly. He knew Emma had not named the kid, hell she hadn't even looked at him. She had turned her head into his chest and started sobbing and Jack had only been allowed to hug her because he was pretty convinced he had scared the warden of the prison shitless. Emma had not intentionally named the kid after his dead brother and Reggie's handler and neither had this Regina woman. There was a pause where he stood there and then he took the kid's outstretched hand as he tried to shake off old memories.

"Nice to meet you Henry"

He had never told Emma about his brother and judging by the way she was gazing adoringly at her kid she had not noticed Jack's slip up. Reggie responded by licking Henry and Emma let out another shout of delight as she bent to pet the dog.

"Oh and this is Reggie" Jack said to Henry. "This is my dog"

Honestly that was about as much as he could say. He was really getting too old for Emma to throw these kinds of surprises at him.

"What are you doing bringing him here?" Emma asked as Henry bent to feed Reggie some leftover bacon that the other man who was still grumpily staring at his coffee turned to give him without a second glance.

"I brought him here because I decided I was tired of big city. And I wanted to be close to my beautiful daughter didn't I? Also I got a chance to meet my new grandson and spend some time with peace and quiet."

"You might have moved to the wrong place Grandad" Henry said and oh—that was going to take some getting used to. And not in the good way.

"Wait until I tell you about the curse"

Emma's little realise of air at that told him all that he needed to know.


Regina had been walking to Granny's anyway (because where else would her son be when it came to that woman) when she overheard it.

"Yes that's right, a stranger. Emma Swan's father"

She stopped dead nearly colliding with whichever one of those pesky fairy nuns she had overheard.

Emma Swan had a father who was currently trapped in a loveless marriage (and when Regina put thought into her work it really did turn out even better than she could have hoped for). And strangers did not walk into her town.

She quickened her pace.

It wasn't hard to see who the new arrival was when she opened the door.

He was…well…there was no shame in denying it Regina was capable of noticing it after all…very attractive. He had dark hair that was greying and lines around his green eyes but he was built strong and tall and there was something about him that made her pause. This was a man who was used to getting his own way, who was used to taking charge. This was the man who had raised the force that was Emma Swan—this Regina speculated was not a man that was going to be easily intimidated.

And he had a dog.

Fabulous.

"Henry" she said pasting on a rather forced smile (she noted Emma Swan doing the same thing) "I was wondering where you were. Miss Swan." She turned to the man. "I don't know you" she said bluntly. "Regina Mills, Town Mayor. Henry's mother"

And if she stressed the last word then who was anyone to know.

The man leaned back and looked her up and down as she was a threat and a challenge all at once. Regina felt her muscles lock into place as a fire came to her belly. It had been a long time since she had been looked at like that.

"Jack Reynolds" he said finally. "Emma's adoptive father" he held out a hand and she shook it rather surprised at herself for being so open about it.

"Pleasure" she said dryly. Not because she wanted but because her throat was dry. Damn spring weather. She ignored the sensible part of her brain telling her it was actually autumn.

And the moment was ruined by the dog putting his paw on her Italian leather boot.

"And this is Reggie" Jack Reynolds said. "He's going to be staying with me while I look for a place to live"

Regina raised an eyebrow. "You intend to stay here?" she asked and she couldn't hide the disbelief in her tone this time. Emma grinned. Henry grinned. Somewhere Gold was laughing his ass off the little imp.

"Yeah" Jack Reynolds gave a wonderfully crooked smile. "And I'm gonna keep my dog with me if it's all the same to you"

There was a politeness to his tone that threatened something else and while it made her bristle there was something about this man that told her she wanted to know more about him before she went to war with him. Emma Swan it seemed was building her army just as she was.

She cast the other woman a look out of the corner of her eye and she had to admit that it was a smart move.

A very smart move.

Regina did not say he could not keep the dog at Granny's. She should have but she was tired today. Snow White was flitting around the place, Henry once again had made it clear that he hated her at breakfast, she had woken up missing Daniel more than ever before and Emma Swan was in her face with her adoptive father and Regina's son clearly hanging off every word. Regina today did not have the energy to plot to destroy Jack Reynolds. All she wanted to do was go take a long bath, read a good book and go to sleep.

"Alright" she said finally. She had no energy left but she noted Henry looked shocked.

"But" she said leaning forwards her hands on the table so that she and the man were face to face. "Make no mistake Mr Reynolds. That is the last favour I am ever going to give you"

Jack Reynolds flicked his green eyes up and down her again and this time there was something in his eyes Regina had not seen in a man's eyes for a long time.

Interest.

It…it unseated her somewhat and she pulled back standing to her fullest height. Jack Reynolds made no effort to move.

"Of that Madam Mayor, I have no doubt" and then he was turning to the menu and Regina knew that even if she forced it she would get nothing out of him tonight.

"Oh" he said not looking up. "It's Captain by the way Miss Mills. Captain Jack Reynolds of the United States Marine Corps in case you were wondering"

"Henry come home now" she said in a tone that once had one of her black knights pissing himself and weather it was in fear or shock (and Regina couldn't care less to be honest) her son obliged, hugging Emma and waving goodbye to Jack.

Regina slammed the door to the diner shut and took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

Yes, she needed a strong scotch.

And perhaps a session of baking would do her some good.

Tomorrow she would do battle. All would be well in her world.


Emma watched as the door closed before she turned around.

"You won" she said unable to keep herself from grinning.

"Did I?" Jack said still looking at the menu. "Should I get the waffles do you think?"

"Dad you won" she repeated. "You got Reggie to stay with you in spite of Regina's rules. That's big when you think about how she's been ruling this town with an iron fist for as long as anyone can remember. What did you think of Henry?"

"Engaging fellow. This curse thing is strange. Looks a lot like his father"

Emma nodded. She had been expecting all three. Jack looked up at her.

"Don't worry Em. I'm here now, I can be your army against…that rather interesting woman…and I can deal with Neal's son, I can even deal with this curse stuff that he's talking about which I think is rubbish but what do I know…"

"Dad" she said trying to put into words what it meant to have him here on her side moving his whole life around for her again.

Jack looked at her. Her Dad looked at her and smiled once his eyes very warm.

"I know Emma. I love you too"


And there it is, I hope you enjoy it.

Next Chapter-Tragedy strikes Emma and the town of Storybrooke. Jack has an interesting encounter with his grandson, his daughters roommate and with Regina Mills all in the same day. Regina finds herself in a moment of weakness.