A/N: Thanks for the reviews, follows and adds! I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.


Chapter 4

The noise of cars and taxis zooming past by was deafening as the rush hour traffic began to build up in the late afternoon. Crowds of pedestrians, shoppers, and others can be seen walking along the pavements outside of shops and buildings or trying to cross the road. The people, mainly female shoppers with children line the street as they await an opportunity to cross the road.

"What is the purpose of this…button, you say?" Hook asked curiously once they stopped at the corner of an intersection and observed Henry pressing a circular object on a traffic light post. Amused by the pirate's lack of experience in the modern world, the young boy looked up at his peculiar gaze and smiled.

"It gives us pedestrians a signal to safely cross the street so we don't get run over by cars." He replied candidly, unaffected by the awkward stares they were receiving from strangers nearby, though he was well aware that Hook's rather odd appearance is what made them stood out in the first place.

"Hmm…" Hook quirked a brow at him, smiling halfheartedly in response, "that's…reassuring…" He looked away from Henry for a brief moment and noticed an attractive woman staring fixedly at him, causing her to blush and peel her eyes shyly from his gaze. He simply winked at her before unexpectedly being dragged along by a small hand pulling at his wrist. "Aye, you're quite strong for a young lad." He said distractedly, eventually releasing his arm from Henry's sturdy grip as they crossed.

"You're quite a flirt for someone who claims to love my mom." He retorted back playfully before looking up at Hook who shot him an icy glare, causing him to lightly chuckle in response. "Come on! You see the white sign with the shape of a person flashing? That means it's time to cross." Henry explained as Hook hurriedly follows him from behind, knowing all too well how painful it is to get run over by a car; a distant memory he wish to never experience again.

"So, where are you taking me?" He asked once they reached the other side of the street safely and stopped in front of a small building just around the corner.

"Shopping."

Hook furrowed his eyebrows; staring oddly at the window display filled with clothed mannequins, along with shoes laid out in full view. "What in the bloody hell is shopping?"

"We need to get you some new clothes. People are staring, and before you know it, they will start asking questions and we don't want that."

Hook smirked; about to remark on his good looks as the reason for all the attention, but decided against it as he willingly followed Henry inside the shop.

They were met with the sweet aroma of citrus intermingled with a hint of leather. It was a two-story building, filled with rows of racks and shelves, all displaying different types of clothing and brands for men. Astonished by the amount of selections to choose from; Hook wandered aimlessly, losing Henry in the midst of the crowd that gradually filled the small store. He then came upon an elder woman standing by a display counter spraying a substance into the air as he walked by, causing him to inhale the strong scent and cough uncontrollably. "Ugh, that smells God awful!" He blurted out, causing the woman to look at him weirdly before walking away, startled. Once he was at a good distance from the smell, his eyes suddenly trailed to a rack of coats that hung freely nearby as he ran his hand through each of them; feeling the different textures of the materials.

"That's very you." Henry commented as Hook pulled out a black classic collared, button-down wool-polyester blend long trench coat. "Here, I also got you some pants and shoes to try on. I think they're about your size."

He took a moment to look over the selections before nodding his approval. "It may not be what I'm used to, but this will do." He said, smiling appreciatively at him.

Henry guided Hook to the fitting rooms and assisted him in unbuttoning the jeans, dress shirt and coat; completely aware of the prosthetic hand he wore. He knew by helping him, they would be in and out of there in no time, and he certainly wasn't going to suffer a couple more hours of shopping. He had enough of that with his mother. "I'll be out here if you need anything." Once each piece of clothing was ready for Hook to try on, Henry closed the door to give him privacy.

"Aye."

Henry stood patiently against the door, watching idly as the line for the fitting rooms grew longer. Moments later, he could hear shuffling and grunting on the other side, noting the frustration in the pirate's voice. To his surprise, Hook finished getting out of his pirate attire and into new ones quicker than he imagined as he fled the door open and stepped out to reveal himself. "You think you can give me a hand over here, lad?" He smirked, slipping is feet into brand new sneakers to complete the look as Henry began buttoning up the shirt and coat for him. Hook then stepped back, nodding his head in approval while soothing out the wrinkles on the coat with his good hand.

"Looking good." Henry smiled, feeling accomplished.

"So…how much treasure is all this worth?" Hook asked apprehensively, realizing he had no idea how he would pay for it, given that the Charmings offered him just enough for food, shelter and transportation for the journey.

"Don't worry. I have money saved up in case of an emergency."

Hook nodded his thanks as they motioned towards the cash register, wearing his new attire while holding up old ones to put in a bag. Once everything was paid for, Henry asked the sales associate for a pair of scissors and cut off the tags before exiting the store.

"Where to now?" Hook asked as they stepped out, faced with a strong breeze biting at their cheeks and nipping the tips of their ears. Shivering, he tightened his new coat around him, grateful for the additional warmth it provided him.

"Lunch." Henry muttered, rubbing his stomach. "I'm hungry."


They situated themselves in the back of the cafe with the alluring smell of fresh coffee and baked goods that filled their nostrils. It was calm with only a few customers and more empty tables strewn with little packaged condiments. Silence lingered between them as Hook watched Henry idly dipped the straw into the hot chocolate with his other hand propped up on the table, lightly drumming his chin with his fingers. Hook smiled, enjoying their quality time together as it distracted him from thinking and worrying about his daughter and everyone else back home. It certainly filled the emptiness in his lonely heart.

"Aye, you never told me how you regained your memories?" Hook started off, breaking the silence as it forced Henry to meet his curious gaze.

"From my dreams," he replied with a half smile. "I get them almost every night; each one different from the last. And I just knew they were telling me something." He paused briefly to collect his thoughts. "It wasn't until you showed up that I knew for sure they were real. Since then, the memories started coming back."

Hook nodded; his mind drifting for a moment as he thought about Emma. "If only it came so easily for your mother." He spoke dejectedly as Henry frowned upon the sad look on his face.

"Don't give up yet. There's still hope."

Hook bit down his lip as he forced himself to swallow the string of emotions that threatened to appear. "Time is a luxury we don't have, Henry."

He wrinkled his forehead, unsure of what Hook meant by that. And then a thought occurred to him. "You told my mom that everyone in the Enchanted Forest is in danger. What danger?"

"It's the wicked witch." Hook spoke angrily as the words left a foul taste in his mouth. Henry listened carefully and noticed his elder companion tensing up, trying so hard to not let his anger get the best of him. "She's terrorizing the kingdom, destroying everything and anyone in her path."

Henry's eyes grew larger in response. "My grandparents…my mom...my Dad," he sputtered worriedly. "Are they alright?"

"We fled before the witch could get to us. I made sure everyone was safe before I departed for this journey." There was a brief pause as Hook downcast his eyes to conceal the hurt and longing that was building up in his chest. "I can't be so sure of their safety now."

"Then we must hurry."

Hook lowered his gaze, struggling internally to find the words between his thoughts and what he needed to say. "There is, however another way." He swallowed heavily. There was a trace of uncertainty in his voice that had not been there before. Henry notices this as his silence prompted Hook to continue on. "Regina...your mother, left something for me just in case the kiss failed." He spoke as he revealed to him a small bottle filled with purple liquid.

"What is it?"

"You must understand, Henry that I...we will try any other means necessary to get your mother to remember. This potion here is the last resort if all else fails."

"Why can't we just use it now?"

"All magic comes with a price." He said weakly with hint of pain and regret behind his quivering voice. "Give me one day, Henry...one day to help your mother remember. And if it doesn't work," he paused, gently placing the small bottle on the table, "then we'll use this."


She skipped the slow service elevator, lined with residents waiting patiently as she opted to take the stairs instead. Her heart was racing frantically; her head spinning with endless thoughts of maternal concern and fear she had over her son. She tripped a few steps going up, but managed to stay on her feet and continue on with as much speed her legs would allow. As soon as she stood in front of her apartment door and struggled a bit with the keys, the door finally swung open, causing her to slightly stumble forward inside.

"Henry?! Are you here?! Henry?" She yelled, entering his room only to find that he was not there. "Dammit!" She pulled out a cell phone from her back pocket and pressed a number on speed dial. "Oh come on, come on. Answer," she muttered breathlessly, searching every room in the apartment.

"Emma?" Came a masculine voice on the other end as her gaze turned hopeful.

"Hey! Sorry to bother you, but is Henry with you?"

"No…why would he be with me?"

"I got a call from the school saying he didn't show up to class today." She said flabbergasted, brushing her blond locks away from her face in utter frustration. "I had to get off from work and he isn't even home!"

"Okay, Emma. Just…relax. He's a smart kid, I'm sure he's fine."

"Exactly…he's just a kid." She reminded him, raising her voice more than she intended to. Silence lingered for a moment as she pressed her lips together and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. Just please…call me if you hear from him. Please."

"I will, Emma."

She hangs up the phone and motioned towards the livingroom, pacing back and forth anxiously…waiting…hoping for a phone call...news...anything to reassure her that her son was okay. She drew in a breath to calm her nerves, but as the seconds turned into agonizing minutes, the waiting became too unbearable. She was never a patient person to begin with, and she wasn't going to start anytime soon, not if it had anything to do with Henry. As if she already made up her mind, she grabbed her keys from the kitchen table and headed on out to find him. Once she opened the door, she was surprised to see Henry standing in front of her.

"Oh my God, Henry?! You had me worried sick!" She dropped to her knees and pulled him for a hug. He hugged her back tightly, noticing her barely contained relief as she slowly pulled away to face him. "Where have you been?" She asked worriedly as Henry chose to remain wordless, shifting the weight of his feet nervously and allowing his eyes to fall from hers. Emma immediately noticed his discomfort as she folded her arms across her chest; wary of his sudden odd behavior. "What's going on?"

As if on cue, Hook finally stepped in behind Henry, making his presence known as he weakly smiled at her. "Hi again, love." Her lips parted in surprise, mixed with anger that soon clouded her features. "We meet again."

"You." She snapped sharply, her eyes narrowing at the sight of him. And without warning, she grabbed him by the collar and pushed him roughly against the wall straight ahead. "Seriously?! You go after me, and then my son?!"

Hook raised his hands up defensively, wincing in slight pain as he let out an uneasy chuckle to lighten the mood. "Easy on the coat, love. It's new."

"Mom, it's okay. I followed him." She turned to Henry in mere disbelief as he protectively stood in front of Hook; a gesture that took both adults by surprise.

"You what?!" Furious, Emma placed her hands on her hips, darting her suspicious eyes between Hook and Henry, and then Hook again until they fell upon Henry once more. "Why? He's a stranger. He could be dangerous."

"No he's not. I know him, and so do you. You just don't remember because your memories were erased by the curse."

"Curse?" She questioned in bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

"Please…our family is in danger. You have to hear him out!"

She shook her head, unwilling to stand for any of it. Curses? Magic? Dreams of the past she could not recall. A family from another land she doesn't remember having. It was all beyond crazy. "Go to your room, Henry."

"But mom-"

"I said go to your room." There was finality in her abrupt tone of voice causing Henry to look up at her in hurt disbelief. "You went behind my back and skipped school, Henry...and for that you are grounded."

His jaw tightened, unable to hold back the frustration he felt towards his mother. Hook could feel the tension rising as he leaned forward and whispered in his ear, hoping to ease the situation. "Stay calm, mate. It's alright. Just listen to your mother."

"This is so unfair!" Henry yelled stubbornly, going against Hook's advice as his outburst surprised them all. "Why is it so hard for you to believe in anything?! Why can't you just listen for once?!"

The display of emotions rendered her speechless as Emma watched her son dramatically run back inside the apartment, leaving behind the awkward silence that lingered between them. She slowly turned to face her only male companion, her cheeks turning a lighter shade of red from embarrassment "You should go." She spoke quietly with neither anger or disdain behind her voice. She was hurt, and all Hook wanted to do was comfort her. But he simply nodded his head, reluctantly obeying her wishes as he averted from her soft gaze with his sights set on a new day tomorrow, and this time, he was determine to succeed.

"You should listen to your boy." He muttered carefully, leaving Emma at a loss for words as she hesitantly meets his sincere gaze. "He only wants to be heard."

And with that said, he turned at his heel to leave, only to suddenly stop at a corner when he felt her eyes on him. He then looked over his shoulder and gave Emma an encouraging smile; one that she surprisingly needed as she uncharacteristically smiled back at him. "Goodnight, Swan."


A/N: To be continued!...thanks for reading, and don't forget to leave a review! I love to read your thoughts and opinions.