Hello all! Hope you're all enjoying the story thus far! Again, a big thanks to everyone whose dropped in and read and, as I said before, your feedback is GREATLY desired and appreciated 3 So help a sister out! Drop me a review :) I hope I'm not updating too quickly :/ I've just had plenty of time this week so expect maybe another chapter sometime before Friday? Swell :) Also, this chapter is a little shorter than the last. Didn't want to kill you guys haha! Anyway, here you go-Chapter 3!
"I gave NO such order!" Rumpel was practically howling at Smee. Men on deck had stopped to watch the spectacle and place bets on who was going to be the new first mate. Smee looked extremely apologetic, stumbling over words and stammering as he tried to explain the situation.
"Cora came and told me you have requested we set sail immediately. She'd even found some men to help with the- -" he waved his hand out to gesture at the men around, all of whom got right back to work when they saw attention coming their way.
Rumpel wondered how easy it would be to snag the man with his hook and fling him over the side of the ship. He laughed, dryly, and shook his head, giving a heaving sigh as he did so.
"What time is it?" he asked Smee, giving him a snide look from the corner of his eye.
Smee checked his wrist watch, keeping a single wary eye on the "Captain" at all times.
"Just about nine thirty." He said with a mumble.
"Oh good. Excellent. It's just about that time to take us back to shore." He paused, contemplating taking a row boat and how long that might take.
"R-Right away, sir!" he said, scrambling off, barking orders to anyone who might listen.
Rumpel stood on a deck a few moments more, watching as men scrambled to pull sails and adjust the direction of the vessel. He couldn't help but feel the pulsing pain of a massive migraine coming on. He should have known better than to think Cora was blind to all of this. But then again, why on earth did she have reason to suspect such a bizarre ordeal? There was no time to dwell on that, he decided as he went back below deck, still wobbly, to fetch some clothes. The fact of the matter was Cora knew. Which meant she had either already gone or was going to consult with Hook. Belle was even in further danger now, as far as he was concerned, and the sooner they got to port, the better.
Rumpel rummaged through Hook's things, looking for clothes he actually wanted to wear. The choice of attire wasn't bad; Rumpel wasn't opposed to the rich, gem colors or the high volume of leather options (he himself has been known to dawn a pair of leather trousers a time or two) but they all seemed so complicated to put on with one hand. He looked at the hook darkly, for the first time regretting the appendage he's taken from Killian.
As he picked out a red studded vest with a black under shirt, black pants, and a leather coat to match, Rumpel was at the very least grateful he had the miniscule task of dressing to entertain him while he waited to return to shore and sort out this mess
**~Hook~**
It was an unusually blustery day in Storybrooke. There was a wonderful chill telling that winter was still around and in full swing. Men, women, and children alike dressed in coats and scarves, hustling from place to place as if not to chill in the meantime.
Belle walked beside Hook quietly, watching the people as they passed. She herself wore a cream colored, large buttoned coat with a pale green scarf. She had on thick leggings in a matching shade of green with black boots to pull the look together. Her hair hung loose and curled, just slightly, at the very ends. Her cheeks were a light pink from the cold and her eyes were bright, happy to see her dearest up and walking about. However, she was a little concerned for his well being. His eyes wandered far too much when he talked. He didn't always seem to know what they were talking ABOUT and now, as they approached the shop, he almost walked right by it.
"Rumpel?" she called after him as he walked past her.
She had stopped securely at the shop front, casting him a confused smile. Hook turned around, looked up at the small building, and gave a laugh.
"Oh….I suppose I wasn't paying attention." He dismissed the forgetful action as nonsense and began to dig the key out of his coat pocket.
"Are you sure you're ready to return for work?" she asked cautiously. "I don't have to go to the library today, you know. I could stay and help you…"
"And keep you from your own work? I will be fine." He owned the door to the small shop and was greeted by the smell of old items and wood polish. "Go on ahead. Perhaps we can meet for lunch later?"
A grin broke out across Belle's lips.
"Granny's then?" she asked and he nodded. "Around twelve thirty?"
"Sounds wonderful. Run along, then."
With a brief parting hug, she hurried off, her arms wrapped around herself as she walked head on into the cold. As soon as she was out of sight, Hook dropped the cheesy grin and walked into the store. It was dark inside, and the mahogany wood used for the furniture didn't help. He gave the room a good long glance, studying all the strange trinkets and trappings Rumpelstitlskin had accumulated over time. A particularly eerie pair of dolls seemed to watch them from their place in a rocking chair; Hook sneered with disgust.
" Delightful." He mused, limping his way behind the counter.
He explored the backroom a while, noticing a few bottles and other curious items that alluded to magic. Hook gave his knuckles a crack and seated himself at the wooden table in the center of the room. If Rumpelstitlskin was as talented as Cora made him out to be, than the magic should come easily, no? He sat there for a few long, tense moments, unsure entirely of how to get started. He held his hands out in front of him and over the bottle, staring intently at it. Nothing. He frowned, knotting his brow together and focused harder. The minutes seemed to stretch by as he stared and stared, trying to will any kind of magic out into the open. He bit down on his tongue, wrinkling his forehead and squinting his eyes.
It would have been nice if Cora had given him some pointers before making her exit, but did he really expect that much from the Queen of Hearts?
"Come on…" he argued with himself, rubbing his temples and trying again. "Come on….if he can do it, so can you."
He gave his hand a wave and thought for a moment he saw the very beginning wisps of purple smoke, but the bell of the front door rang and shattered his concentration. And wisps that may or may not have been evaporated into air and Hook cursed angrily. He banged his fists on the table, grabbed his cane and hurried out into the front room. He didn't bother masking his annoyed attitude, especially when he saw that the customer who had come calling, was a child.
The boy, Henry, smiled at him. He was dressed for school in a near, navy blue blazer and with a heavy backpack slung onto his shoulders. He approached the counter cheerfully, standing before Hook with both hands on the wood.
"Can I help you?" he asked tensely, wondering if Rumpelstitlskin knew the boy.
Henry smiled.
"I want to get something for my mom." He told him smartly. "As a thank you gift for keeping me company, you know, until Regina gets back."
"Regina?" What possible business did this boy have with Cora's daughter?
Henry frowned and lifted his eyebrows. He had a very adult expression on his young face and, if truth be told, it left Hook feeling rather uneasy.
"Yeah?" he seemed unsure. "You alright, Mr. Gold? I heard you had an accident yesterday."
"Word travels fast around here, hm?" He didn't mean to come off as tart as he did. "Yes, I did. But I'm feeling much better now, thanks. Now…how much money did you have to spend on your mother?"
Henry reached down deep into his pocket, pulling out Regina's credit card. It was obvious he had been purse fishing earlier that day. He handed the small piece of gray plastic to the pirate, who stared t it, puzzled.
"However much it takes!" Henry said proudly. "We have to be fast though; I'm supposed to be in school."
"Are you skipping your lessons?" Hook asked the boy, smiling a little in amusement.
"Yeah, but that's ok. Mary Margaret won't mind when I tell her where I've been." He shrugged. "There's perks to being related, I guess."
Mary Margaret? Where had he heard that name before? He turned the piece of plastic over in his hands, not entirely sure what it meant. It obvious meant a lot of money if the boy didn't care about cost. He observed the name "Regina Mills" etched in silver letting and looked over at him.
"Funny." He said dryly. "You don't look like a Regina to me."
Henry waved him off.
"She's not even around right now." He said nonchalantly. "Besides, what's she going to do? Ground me?"
Hook couldn't help but laugh, giving a small shrug of the shoulders and turning to walk down the length of the counter. He liked the kid; he had some spark to him that children his age were usually lacking.
"So have you any idea what you'd like?" he asked him, looking around quickly to see if there was anything he might interest the boy in.
"I'm thinking a necklace." Henry followed him along. "Or a bracelet. I don't really care, as long as it says her name on it. I want "Emma" to be written in really fancy writing, so she can feel royal and stuff, you know?"
Hook paused, just briefly enough that the boy didn't catch on. A small smile pulled the corners of his lips up and he turned back to face Henry. So this was Henry, THE Henry. Now looking at him, he could see the resemblance not only physically, but in the no-holds personality.
"My apologizes" he went to hand the boy back the card. "but I just remembered I can't accept….that kind of payment. You'll have to come back later, when I can."
Luckily, the vagueness of his statement didn't put the boy off. Instead, he just beamed right back at him and held up his small hand, pushing the card back towards Hook.
"Keep it for now. I don't want to lose it at school." He adjusted his backpack and began to head for the door. "I'll come back after, then. Maybe your machine will be running then?"
"Maybe. Who knows?" Hook chuckled and waved the boy off, smoldering with glee at the news.
So this was Emma Swan's son? Oh, it was too rich. This town was far too trusting, he decided as he headed for the backroom once more. The residents relinquished knowledge all too easily.
The time went by far too quickly. Before long, it was approaching twelve thirty and Hook found himself with no more magic than that morning. All he had now was a terrible headache and a sour disposition. He rose stiffly, deciding he would tackle it again when he had a clear mind and a full belly. Now he needed to focus his concentrations of woo-ing Belle.
And finding this "Granny's", wherever it was.
As he closed up shop and began to walk off in the direction Belle had earlier when they initially parted, he mulled over his plan in his mind. It was still rusty; he hadn't had much time to smooth through the finer details just yet. He knew he wanted to really knock this girl off her feet. It was apparent she was already in love with "him", but the whole situation needed polishing. There needed to be deeper trust, perhaps he could convince her to go on a romantic outing with him. He knew he would eventually need to bed her; he wondered if they had done that already, but something heavily implicated they had not. So he would lay with another of the Imp's women. Quite the conquest, he thought proudly.
And once that was complete, once he had won her love over so severely, he would strike. What that strike would be, he wasn't entirely sure yet. He would eventually kill her, yes, but not until she despised him. But how could he make that happen?
As he approached the busier part of town, the smell of food became prevalent in the air. As he strolled, a flyer came on the breeze, hitting him in the chest. He grabbed at it, scanning it quickly. It was a reminder for some winter masquerade festival at a small, if not the only, nightspot in Storybrooke. He went to throw it back on the ground, but the shout of Rumple's name caught his attention before he could. A few feet ahead, he could see Belle waiting outside a small establishment for him. She spotted him, waving him over and he waved back, with much less enthusiasm though.
"I'm starving." She told him as they bustled into the warm building.
They chose a booth by the window, settling down as Ruby came and brought them menus. Hook looked up at the tall brunette. She wore a pair of tight red shorts and a tied-at-the-top white shirt which showed off an abundant amount of mid drift. Hook smiled and got a good look of her, suddenly feeling very generous with any tip he might leave.
Maybe she could be the crippling strike he used on Belle? Oh yes, he smiled darkly, wouldn't THAT be a treat? He could just imagine it now…Rumpelstitlskin would have to endure the knowledge that, not only had Hook taken his beloved to bed, but had scorned her with another. All while wearing his face. Yes, he studied the fine architecture of Ruby's lean yet curved form. He could see in his mind's eyes exactly how that could play out…
But when he saw the two women greet each other like dear friends, he knew his endeavor could be fruitless. No, he decided as he flipped through another page in the menu, he would have to find another.
"Let me guess…" Ruby tapped her pen against her notepad and looked back and forth between them. "…burgers?"
Belle nodded with a smile and Hook followed suit, not too sure what it was they were getting, but going along with it. Ruby sauntered off and it took all Hook had not to watch her as she went. Instead, he used what was left of his mental energy to look across the table of the smiling Belle.
"Feeling better?" she inquired.
Hook nodded.
"Much." He leaned back, trying to think of something conversational to say. "Henry came in today. He was skipping school; wanted to buy a gift for Emma."
He was impressed on how normal he sounded. A part of him really wanted to pity the crocodile, if this is what his life had amounted to: forcing small talk about a dingy business in a greasy eatery.
Belle opened her mouth to speak, but then turned her head curiously. She gestured to Hook's hand, which was still clutching the flyer.
"Is that for the Masquerade?" she asked, pulling it from his grasp.
"Huh? Oh yes." An idea occurred to him. "Are you going to go?"
Belle smiled a little as she read it over. She nodded, sliding it back to him.
"I want to." She replied eagerly. "I think it'll be nice. Probably a little chilly out, but that'll add to the ambiance, won't it? I hear they're moving it to a field though; Ruby says they're anticipating too many people. I wonder what they'll do for heat though?"
"With all their strange contraptions, I'm sure they have a way." Hook assured her. "But….would you be interested in accompanying me?"
There was a look on Belle's face, one of excitement and embarrassment. She tilted her head, like she was attempting to be coy.
"I had already assumed." She told him in her attempt to be smooth.
"Excellent." He winked at her. "It's a date then."
He looked back down at the flyer. Tomorrow evening. He didn't have much time to prepare then. He would have to brush up on any of the common regularities of taking a woman out in this world. He was sure the bringing of a gift and being a "gentleman" were still in practice, but better safe than sorry.
The door behind them opened with a light jingle and Hook turned his head in curiosity. And oh how it had paid off. In walked Emma Swan. She wore a close fitted gay shirt and leather jacket, jeans on the bottom. She looked preoccupied, scanning the dinner then settling on her table. Hook turned his head back around, trying to hide just how pleased he was. Belle lifted her head, smiling as the woman made her way over towards them.
"Hello Emma." She said brightly.
"Hey Belle." She gave a polite smile, offering the girl a nod before turning her eyes on him. "Hey Rumple." Hook was a little taken back by her use of the man's real name.
"Hello Emma." He said kindly, looking right up into her eyes. "May we help you?"
"Yeah." She crossed her arms. "Henry got caught sneaking back into school today."
"He needs to be quieter than." He stated, drumming his fingers against the table.
Emma, like she had been every other time they'd ever spoken, didn't seem to have time for the bullshit.
"I know he was in your shop earlier." She said, exhaling loudly through her nose. "I know he stole Regina's credit card. I'm going to need that back."
"It's all yours." He assured her(so that's what those things are called.) "He was in there for you, you know."
"Me?" She frowned. "What did he want for me?"
"A gift." He crossed his hands in front of himself, looking over at the intently listening Belle. "For being such a good mother. He wanted it to say your name: Emma."
The name rolled off his lips and in his mind fluttered over memories of being abandoned atop the beanstalk or their sword fight. Oh yes, he thought looking directly into her eyes, she was not too bad at that at all.
When they locked eyes and he felt her study him, she could almost feel a tremor of something in her. Like she sensed something was off. He offered her a crooked smile as Ruby came bustling to the table holding two places.
"Now if you excuse us, Emma. We're eating." He turned his attention to the food. "You may come by later this evening to pick up the card, if you wish."
"Um. Sure." She seemed at a loss for words. She gave her blonde head a shake then began to take her leave. "I'll do that. I'll see you guys."
Belle have her a small wave then leaned in to Hook.
"Was that strange?" she asked him. "It's not like you were going to try and steal the card for your own."
"Can you blame her for thinking me a thief?" he asked in a mutter.
He watched Belle eat her food and mimicked what he saw. Before he could take a bite, he felt the eyes of another watching him. Discretely, as Belle began to speak about all she'd heard about the masquerade, he turned only his eyes to his right. Emma was standing at the bar, waiting for something, but her head was turned towards him. He smirked a little, knowing she could see.
Maybe he had found that crippling strike this afternoon after all.
With that, he took a huge bite.
