Thanks again for your kind words! Here's chapter 3, let me know what you think!

NEW YORK, PRESENT DAY

"I – I'm so sorry – sorry," Emma said, trying to suppress a yawn as she apologized to Henry's teacher.

"Didn't sleep well last night?" she asked.

"No, I slept just fine. I'm just so exhausted lately," Emma replied. "I've already had 2 cups of coffee and I've only been awake for an hour."

"Maybe you should go see the doctor," the teacher suggested. "I know it's not really any of my business, but Henry told me just the other day that he thinks you're not doing well. And looking at you now… Well, I have to agree with him.'

Emma stared at the woman. She didn't feel very comfortable discussing her personal issues with, well anyone, really. But if Henry had noticed she wasn't feeling too well, maybe she should go to the doctor. She didn't want her son to worry about her own problems. "Yeah," she sighed, "Maybe I'll do that."

On her way to work she decided to order another coffee, but as she was sipping from her cup, a man across the streets caught her eye. Him. The one from last night. The one she'd seen in her dream. But more than that, she knew there was something so familiar about him, about his brown, slightly curled hair, and his kind face with those sad eyes. She stared at him for hours, or maybe they were just seconds, but then it was over, because someone tapped her on her shoulder so abruptly, that when she looked up again, the man had disappeared.

It took her a few seconds to register the voice talking to her, but when she managed to tear away her gaze and looked next to her, she let out a grunt. "Oh God, not you again. Wasn't the punch in the crotch enough proof that I don't want to have anything to do with you?" Emma turned around and to walk away, but the man with too much eyeliner simply followed her. "I've had much worse," he grinned. "Besides, can't allow that to stand in the way of my mission, Swan."

"Whatever this so-called mission is, I'm not interested. And how do you know my name anyway?" "Well I suppose any normal person would tell you they simply read it on your door, but truth is; I know you." the man replied.

"That's great, but I don't know you, nor do I have any desire to know you. Just the clothes alone. What, did you escape the nuthouse or something, Captain Hook?" Emma sneered.

"Oh, if you only understood the irony of that," the man chuckled. "You may call me Killian."

"And you may get the hell away from me. Seriously, why are you still following me?" she asked as they turned a corner.

"Because as I told you yesterday, your family is in danger and we need your help to save them." "See that's a problem right there," Emma said, stopping in front of a building, turning to Hook to barricade the doors. "I don't have any family. It's just me and my kid. No one else. So why don't you just turn around and walk away. Go bother someone else with your fantasies."

"Oh trust me, love. My fantasies include very different things." The man smirked, but then frowned as he read the sign on the building. "Hang on, what is this? Is this where you work? But – it's a real estate agency."

"Yes, I work in the real estate, can you leave now?" Emma asked him in an exasperated tone.

"Hm, have to admit, didn't see that one coming. It's involves… selling houses, yes? But I suppose that was all part of it," Hook mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. Emma rolled her eyes and attempted to enter the building when Hook grabbed her by her arm. "Look, I understand that you don't know me, that you think you don't -," "Oh I know I don't," Emma interrupted him.

"But then answer me this," Hook continued. "Just answer me one question, and if I turn out to be wrong, I will walk away and leave you alone, okay?" Emma stared at him but didn't respond, so he assumed she'd agreed. "When I came to your doorstep yesterday morning, before you kicked me in the groin, you recognized me, didn't you? Just for a split second, you did. Didn't you?"

Emma glared at him, wanting to prove him wrong, but she couldn't. "I – I don't know, okay. Yes, you seemed familiar, but who knows; maybe I've seen you around here a few times, just passed you on the streets and I simply forgot all about it."

"In these clothes? Not likely," Hook grinned. Emma sighed. "Look, I don't actually know you, okay? And I don't know what this family crap is you keep talking about, but you've got it all wrong. I don't have any family, I'm alone. Always have been." She could tell her voice would crack if she would talk about this anymore, so she stepped back and put her arms in front of her. "Just leave me alone, okay? Have enough decency to do that."

And with that, she turned around, walked through the doors and left Hook standing on the street. When she had entered the elevator and was sure he couldn't see her anymore, she breathed out. She hadn't realized it before, but she could now feel her entire body shaking. Not out of fear though, no. No, this man, Killian, hadn't scared her. But the idea that people from her dreams could now turn up in real life as well, yes, that did scare her. Because how could that possibly be?