Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters included were written specifically for headcanon purposes, so all references may be from the show or made up.
3
As David and Killian slowly came to a stop at the base of the clock tower, Ruby uncomfortably shifted from one foot to the other.
Emma's gaze flickered between the prince and the pirate, itching to ask how-what-when-where-why. Her expression was taut and she tried to remember to breathe. The moment Killian's eyes met hers, she felt her insides warm. The ghost of a smile seemed to be imprinted on his lips and she could see that he was absolutely overjoyed. Of course he was. She swallowed nervously and turned her attention back to her father.
"Ruby, was this the guy?" David finally asked, though it was more than obvious that they all knew Killian had been the stranger she saw. Ruby nodded wordlessly and crossed her arms, glancing back at Emma, a puzzled expression crossing her features. Then she peered at him with pursed lips.
"You most definitely are a pirate." the brunette muttered with a distasteful look. "I should have seen through your lie." Killian's head tilted to one side with an amused smirk.
"I didn't lie." he replied. Then he appraised her generously, causing Emma to roll her eyes and David to grimace as the man continued. "Ruby, yes? Well it's a pleasure to officially be of acquaintance."
"Well that makes one of us." Ruby mustered up her most plastic grin.
The pirate laughed and turned his gaze to Emma, who kept her eyes low as she reached for her cuffs. She could practically feel his ocean blue eyes searching her, trying to read her the way he always did. Just as her hands touched the cool metal, she froze and let them drop. What good were cuffs when the man only had one hand?! She was becoming aware that she was flustered. This wasn't like her; Emma normally assessed every situation as clearly as she could. But this was Killian Jones. Her thoughts were scattered and her heartbeat sped for reasons she didn't dare to admit. Emma's dark eyes scanned the premises for something; anything that could be used to restrain him if it had come down to it and bit the inside of her cheek in satisfaction. There was a bundle of rope a few feet away, by Ruby's bag. She had to stay calm. She had to keep Killian at arm's length and keep a clear head. That was when David spoke up.
"I'm going to call Snow."
Emma shook her head and her expression was hard and calculating.
"Not yet," she dared a glance back at Killian, who was gazing idly around at the buildings surrounding them with a mild look of fascination. "His hook?" she arched an eyebrow, holding out an open palm. The prince reached into a back pocket, produced the hook and firmly placed it into her hand.
"You should keep it somewhere safer." David told her sternly. "I found that hook in his hand." he pushed the pirate forward as he spoke.
"Well it wasn't that bloody hard to find." Killian retorted. Ruby sucked in a sharp breath and elbowed Emma in the ribs. They shared a brief pained look, knowing that they were thinking the same thing.
The captain's hook was originally at her apartment.
Killian Jones; Captain Hook, had been in her apartment. The place where she ate, showered and slept. Her mind seemed to be everywhere at once. What had he gone through? What had he seen? Did this mean he'd been watching her all week? Why hadn't he killed Gold yet? Why did he honor their petty agreement? Why was the image of him in her room so inviting?
As if on cue, the pirate pointedly cleared his throat. Emma forced herself to look him straight in the eye. He grinned knowingly as soon as their gazes locked and she struggled to speak for a moment. The facts were piecing themselves together like a puzzle and soon she realized the truth. How could she have been so blind? She should have known. She, of all people, should have known from the moment her necklace had gone missing.
"It was you." she murmured breathlessly. Killian craned his neck towards her and gave an apologetic smile.
"You're going to have to be a little more specific, darling." he answered, speaking as though she were a child.
"You broke into my apartment." she responded, trying to keep calm. "You stole. My stuff." When he his smug expression remained unchanged, she clenched her jaw and took a step towards him, despite the warmth stirring in her chest from their close proximity.
David cleared his throat. "So the necklace…"
Her voice was low and hard as steel. "Give. It. Back." Emma would not break. Not now, not in front of her own father or Ruby. There was absolutely no way she would let them see how much this man affected her. They stared each other down for a moment, light eyes meeting dark. It could have been her imagination, but she could have sworn that his smirk seemed to waver for half a second.
Finally, he spoke. "You need only ask nicely, Princess."
That did it.
Her eyes flashed angrily as the pirate began to laugh and she grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around so that his back faced her.
The prince started, "What are you—"
"Just make sure he doesn't run away," she snapped.
"Fret not. I'd never run away from you, love."
"Quiet." she backhanded him in the chest before she stepped away. "David, please." Confused, the prince did as he was told, throwing a lost glance at Ruby, who seemed equally speechless, as he walked Killian to the base of the clock tower. Emma bent down to pick up the small bundle of rope that she spotted just a few moments ago. From the sound of Ruby's poorly suppressed laugh, she realized the red-lipped brunette must have brought it.
"Swan, are you really going to go there?"
Don't call me Princess, she silently retorted, otherwise ignoring his question.Don't talk to me that way in front of my father. She yanked the pirate's arms back and wrapped the rope around the entire length of his arms. He sighed and she ignored the pounding in her chest at the heat that seemed to radiate off him on such a chilly day. Once she finished, she whirled him around and pushed him forward. "Walk." Emma ordered. David took a step towards her and placed a hand on her arm.
"Emma," his voice was hesitant but she shook him off.
"I'm taking him alone." she told him, not unkindly. Emma was keeping her eyes on her captive's bound arms as she continued. "I'll call you if something comes up." She pressed a hand into Killian's back, urging him forward. It surprised her that he actually complied, though there was a nagging feeling in her gut that the man wanted to be caught. There was also the nagging feeling in her chest that actually wanted this.
Sensing something she didn't quite understand, Ruby quickly jumped in before he could protest. "David, where's, um, Henry?" Emma spared a grateful glance at the other woman as she and Killian retreated.
The prince didn't take his eyes off his daughter leading the pirate away as he answered, "He's at the stables. He's safe, if that's what you mean." Once they were out of earshot, David turned back to the brunette and clasped his hands behind his head. "Why do I feel like there was far more to that than what I'm actually comfortable with?"
"Because you're right." she responded with a wry, yet troubled expression. "I could practically taste the tension."
"That's what I was afraid of." He frowned, pulling out his phone. His thumb moved against the screen for a moment and he paused. "Snow won't be happy with this."
Ruby slung her bag over a shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Something tells me that how ever either of you feel about...whatever that was? It's out of your hands."
"You gonna tell me where you're hiding my necklace?" Emma asked for the third time. She was seated on her desk at the sheriff station, hands on either side of her, facing the only cell—now occupied. Killian was leaning against the bars, arms hanging through with his cheek pressed against the metal. He seemed bored, which unnerved her. No, Captain Hook was not allowed to be bored. He stole her belongings, some of her most beloved possessions (mostly her necklace), and he was absolutely not allowed to be the bored one. It had been a solid hour since she locked him up and he continued to ignore every single one of her questions.
"Haven't you, your mother, the damsel and warrior princess established that I'm not to be trusted?" he asked instead.
Emma crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "That has nothing to do with anything. And you're still not answering me," she muttered under her breath.
"I'll be honest, love." he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "I was surprised to find myself disappointed."
"Why the hell were you stealing things that you have no need for?" she blurted out, grimacing as their eyes met.
"This is folly." Killian sighed.
"Damn right it is."she retorted, hopping to her feet. Emma approached the cell with a stubborn frown. "You're playing at something. You're always playing at something. My necklace. It wasn't the only thing you took, was it?"
"It's wonderful how long it took you to notice, but well done."
What was it, exactly about him that caused her to feel drawn to him yet irritated all the same? He was infuriating, yet matching wits with him was something that was like a burning satisfaction within her. Killian was smiling that obnoxiously radiant smile again and she suppressed the urge to groan. He wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know unless she told him what he wanted to know. That's always how it worked between them. It went along with the whole "open book" thing. Even worse; he knew she would give in. What an ass.
"What kind of sheriff allows someone like me to wander about this strange new world that I have never had the chance to explore before?" he asked with a laugh. His eyes were dancing and he bit his bottom lip as if he knew what she would say. Though knowing him, he probably did know what she would say. Just as she knew that he would bring that up. It impressed her in the most unnerving way how that worked. It would always be a contradiction with him; how she was pleasantly surprised that he figured her out so easily, but at the same time wanted to shy away from him in case he saw anything else.
"You escaped." Emma retorted, crossing her arms.
"You weren't in a hurry to catch me." he replied, examining the end where his hook should be with a slight frown.
She was trying her best to be patient. "You know about how anyone who leaves this town loses their memory."
"You, my dear, know that it may not apply to me. I was never exposed to such a curse."
"Yet, you stayed."
He arched an eyebrow as a genuinely curious expression touched his features. "Isn't that what you want?"
That caught her off guard. What did he mean? How could he—no. She refused to allow him to distract her more than he already had. Emma's eyebrows rose incredulously and she drew in a deep breath. Ignoring his previous question, she chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Rumplestiltskin is what you want."
Killian narrowed his eyes, but responded nonetheless. "And I will seize my revenge. In due time. Remember, princess, I'm an honorable man." She grimaced. Ever since they had gotten back to Storybrooke, princess was a new name the pirate had adopted for her. One of the many. One that she especially detested.
"I'm no princess."
"The daughter of Prince Charming and Sn—"
Emma cut him off. "And you are not the completely honorable man as you let on."
"Beg pardon?"
"My necklace?" As if he needed reminding.
"Is that really all you've been on about? Just the necklace?" Killian paused and sighed. "I don't believe it."
"What do you mean just the neckla—you just—Why have you been stealing my things?" She almost stamped her foot in agitation. He was trying to distract her again. "You broke into my apartment more than once, I know it." When he laughed, Emma wanted to punch him. They were back to square one. She didn't know whether to leave to demonstrate that she was being serious or stay, because she wanted to. All she wanted was her necklace; the pendant that wasn't truly a pendant, the tiny swan she had known for so long. The place on her chest where the small metal circle used to be felt exposed.
"Oh, darling." he rolled his eyes. "And I had thought you were perceptive."
Author's Note: I think I'm going to post one more chapter and be officially through with this fic! It was short, yes, and I took my time updating, yes, but there will definitely be more Captain Swan headcanons, oneshots and fics to come!
Thank you so much for reading; I appreciate every single one of you and all the reviews!
