Flashback - Day 1

Emma felt her heart rate increase until she was sure it would explode. From terror? Panic? Probably both. All she could focus on was the person lunging towards her on unsteady feet. It was an elderly woman wearing a bloodied nightdress. Half her face was hanging off and her jaws full of grisly teeth were clearly visible. Her neck was ripped open but no fresh blood came out, despite the visible artery. It should be dead. It's a walker. It is no longer a person. Its terrifying appearance was not an exaggeration by the media as she had hoped.

This is what she had seen on the news. They had only called it an "event." She had barely gotten out of Boston and arrived at the small coastal town she had selected before the sirens began. She had been at a tiny restaurant with a TV in the corner, where she watched in horror as the news reported that the affliction had popped up everywhere. All at once. People were eating each other in the streets in every major city and already several major news stations were no longer broadcasting. She sat with the residents huddled around that TV for hours and hours. Conflicting information was given every few minutes and it was pure pandemonium. But, what every news station agreed on was that people were being killed. The panic in the small town was rapidly rising and people were already starting to break windows. When a gunshot blasted through the night, Emma realized with a jolt back to reality that she had to get to safety. Now. As soon as Emma opened the door to leave the restaurant, that's when she saw it.

The walker in front of her gurgled sickly. Emma was absolutely terrified and after a split second of indecision, reached for the gun she had the foresight to retrieve from the car earlier. Right as the old woman reached her, she raised the gun to its head and pulled the trigger. The news stations had said to shoot them on sight. She wasn't about to let that thing kill her. Even so, tears sprang to her eyes as the body slumped to the ground. She felt light and heavy at the same time from adrenaline racing through her veins. She made a run for the nearby inn she kept all her supplies at. Emma ran as fast as she ever had before and kept her gun raised. Just as the inn came into view she saw another person stumbling around covered in gore, in front of the inn's doors. Emma considered stopping to help but then he looked towards her. She realized the man's chest was completely torn open exposing his ribs and inner chest. He shouldn't be alive. She aimed the gun and the shot rang loudly in the night. Her breath came quickly and in short gasps as she reached the door to the inn and ripped it open.

Emma flew to her room and with shaking fingers, fumbled with the key card to unlock the door. Finally, she got inside and slammed the door shut behind her. She quickly flipped over the deadbolt, locking herself inside of the room. With the door shut, she sank to the ground. She was alive. For now. She had food for 2 weeks in this room. She had weapons. She would sit in here until help came or she absolutely had to leave. She would find some way to survive this nightmare. Alone again just like every other crisis in her life.

At least I don't have any family to lose, Emma thought. There is no one left for me to worry about except myself. She told herself that would give her an advantage.


Present

Emma was alone. She wondered if there was even a point anymore. She thought back to those first nights in the hotel room and couldn't help but feel like she was even worse off now. There was no one here now that Harwell and Bennie had left. No food. Bullets in the single digits. I should have tried harder to stop them. Now this town is empty except for me. I am truly alone.

Even so, she couldn't have gone with them. Emma was not so stupid as to act like a martyr for two strangers. That trip was a death sentence. Already she mourned their loss as if they had died. Just like she had eventually convinced herself her parents were dead instead of living their lives after abandoning their daughter. Just like Neal. They must be dead. Everyone leaves eventually and I am better off alone.

She sighed. Harwell had taken all the food with him. She needed to get more if she wanted to eat again, and she needed to get it today while she still had strength from recent meals. Emma adjusted her gun on her hip and unsheathed the knife before stepping outside into the sun. Today, she would approach the houses and convenience store right by the beach that she had yet to raid.


Hook worked his way through the trees, his eyes searching for any sign of movement. Only one of the beasts had been waiting by the boulders at shore and he had killed it quickly with a flick of his sword. He hoped it would be the only close encounter. He needed to find someone who had not gone mad and had some information about this world. Then secure the supplies for the repair of the Jolly Roger.

Slowing just at the edge of the tree line, he looked to the buildings. They didn't appear to be dwellings, so he carefully watched for as long as he dared. No sound. No movement. None of the dead creatures. The entire place was empty. He inched out, gripping his sword tightly with his one good hand. Now or never.

The door to the first building he reached was hanging open. Obviously abandoned and a quick window check told him that it had been looted as well. He moved to the next building and found the door tightly boarded up and windows blocked. This is as good a place as any to start. He looked around one more time and picked up a sturdy bar from the ground a few feet away. He rose it above his head and smashed it into the wood holding the door shut. Little effect. Again, he beat on the wood until finally it started to splinter just a hair. Just a few more heavy strikes and finally it separated.

When Hook pushed the door open and stepped part of the way inside, his blood freezes in his body. Three of the dead creatures were lumbering towards him out of the darkness.

He stumbled back out of the doorway to get into the open where he could hopefully fight them. Just as the first one emerged, he glanced over his shoulder toward a rustling sound. He saw that two more of them were coming out of the building he had passed before. And a few more had wandered into the lot from God knows where. The noise from his rather inelegant solution to the blocked door had attracted all the dead in the area. Bloody hell. Time to find out how many I can fight at once.

Hook cursed and turned to slay the closest. He drove his blade through its skull and jerked back to prepare for the next. Now two were coming at once and he swung wide hoping his momentum would take the blade completely through. It slipped cleanly through the first and lodged in the side of the second. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he thought through the next step, noticing one of the creatures walking toward him in his periphery. Hook ripped the sword back just in time to swing around and get another approaching from behind. Their throaty noises were even more harrowing in a large group like this. He was disturbed to see even the forms of younger adolescents among them and women walking around with pins still in their hair from whatever unfortunate morning they had lost their lives.

His breathing was growing more ragged with every kill. No time for thoughts now. More than ten still bodies lay strewn around him after a short time. His sword dripped dark and thick blood onto the earth. More of the haunting forms were stumbling into the clearing with every minute he fought. The noise and fight was bringing them in. A sluggish swing allowed one to clamp its disgusting fingers around his sword arm and terror once again gripped him. Hook refused to let it overwhelm him though and thrashed before he brought his hook down right into the top of its skull before it could bite him. Its fingers loosen and he tried not to grimace. Too many. I'm tiring quickly now. I have to get away from here to recover. He tried to get a look around to find cover and saw one side of the lot had significantly less monsters. He heaved toward that direction and tried fighting out of the hoard quickly surrounding him from all sides.

I will not let these rotten beasts be my end, he thought, gritting his teeth. I will not panic. He killed two more in quick jabbing motions and he was nearly free. He was stepping backwards to keep the hoard in front of him where he could see them. But then, his ankles had hit something and he fell back, tripping over a body. He cursed loudly and tried to get up as quick as he could, but the dead were already upon him. One jumped and went for his throat. He could barely manage to hold it off with his good arm. Its teeth were snapping mere inches from his face and another was shuffling toward him a few yards away. If it gets here, I'm done. His sword lay beside him and his hooked arm was pinned at an awkward angle. His eyes darted wildly looking for some method of escape and he saw none. The beast above him was thrashing and it's all he can do to keep it off his throat. The stink filled his nostrils and Killian looked into its milky eyes for a moment and considered that this depraved creature might be what ends his life.

A loud and unmistakable bang echoed off of the buildings and the closest shuffling monster dropped to the ground. Gun fire. Another shot behind him and he couldn't turn around to look but he prayed it was someone who knew what they were doing. Hope gave him just a bit more strength and he was able to push the beast up a few more inches, enough to get his hook around and drive it right between its eyes. He watched it for just a heartbeat to see the energy drain from its eyes and then pushed it off. Thank you whatever gods may be listening. He picks up his sword and then turns to see his savior.

A woman? He tried to conceal his surprise. A woman with long blonde hair, wearing men's breeches of all things, had taken out a large knife and was working towards him. He watched her take out two of the dead and shouted something that sounded a lot like "are you a fucking idiot" and he sprung back into action, going toward her now. He sidestepped a legless corpse crawling on the ground and finally finally he reached the edge of the hoard. Having taken out the stragglers on the side she faced him for the first time. She didn't hesitate to aim her gun right at his head. Hook froze.

"If you try anything, I will kill you. I just saved your life but I can end it too." Her voice was harsh and feminine at the same time. Instantly, he knew she was not bluffing. Her eyes were guarded and he could tell she was already unsure of her decision to save him. He dropped his blade to the side in a gesture that he hoped looked peaceful. I would prefer not to get shot today. He was tempted to flash her a smile, but something warned him to not test her. This woman might just shoot me on principle anyway.

"I mean you no harm, lass." He realized now that he actually had no idea what to say. He came all the way here and he was now unsure what to even say to this woman. She very well could kill him now for good measure if he didn't think fast. "I'm just looking for some supplies. I didn't realize anyone lived here." As soon as he finished speaking, she almost laughed and he saw pain flicker in her eyes before disappearing.

"No one lives anywhere," She said in a mocking voice, "Do you have a group? Are you alone? And you better not lie to me," she spoke quickly and her gaze was actually focused over his shoulder. He could hear the tired rasps of more monsters approaching. They didn't have time to stand here and chat. He sensed she would shoot him where he stood if he lied about his crew so instantly decided on the truth…or something close to it. Oh yes, hello dear, I just crossed to your nightmarish realm on a fool's quest and now if you could kindly let me be on my merry way...

"I have a crew. A ship. I just came from another place. I won't kill you, lass, so I think we should move somewhere else and continue this conversation elsewhere." His voice was a bit strained but he hoped the woman in front of him believed him. The sounds grew closer. She looked at him for just a few more seconds in apparent confusion and then seemed to accept his words. She nodded and lowered the gun a few degrees. Her eyes remained narrow and dangerous. He saw how green they were for a split second before she looked away. Iv never seen such green eyes in all my years. He didn't have time to follow that thought any further because she seemed ready to move.

"Follow me." She turned on her heels and moved quickly back towards some other buildings. They ran with their weapons out and he again considered that she could be leading him to a trap. No point in worrying now though. He would be dead without her and the gunshots fired in front of the store seem to have awoken all the dead.

She slowed in front of a dwelling and he caught up. He stood close and couldn't help but toss a grin her way now that the immediate danger had passed. He tried to get a good look of her in the open and, well, he was impressed. Her hair was almost waist length and fell in golden waves (albeit a bit tangled). Her front was spattered in gore much like himself. He could see her collarbones jutting out and her face had sharp angles. She was not soft. What little she had on her bones was muscle. She had been in survival mode for a long time, he gathered. She was watching him too as if trying to figure out a puzzle. Her eyes lingered on his hook and then traveled up his body. He nearly shivered despite himself. Who is this woman? He could see it in her face that she was trying to decide something. She stepped just a bit closer and the only thing he could think of now is to ask his savior's name.

"What is your name, love?" He had to know. However, the second the words left his lips, he saw a flash of movement from the woman and then felt a sharp pain. The world went black.

"Emma," was the last thing he thought he heard from her lips.


Emma had slowly picked her way towards where she knew the stores in this town stood. Most were likely looted, but you could always find just a little bit more if you knew where to look. She was already planning how she would break in with as little noise and fanfare as possible when she heard a loud crack. What the hell? Another crack rang out. It sounded like someone was... beating a door in? What? She stopped for a moment and listened. Crack. Bang. Then the sound of splintering wood. Someone living is doing this. She almost turned around and ran right home but decided to at least see what she was up against if anyone still human was planning on sticking around in this town. She crept forward.

Her first glimpse was of a lone man slipping into the doorway of the building he apparently just smashed his way into. Is this guy an idiot? Did he even check the place? A split second later he emerged apparently meeting walkers inside. The weirdest part of this, she thought,is that he is dressed entirely in black leather and is wearing a literal cloak. He was carrying a sword that looked way more like a cutlass out of some movie. She wondered if he could even use that properly because who the hell is proficient with a cutlass- just a split second before he drove it squarely through the face of the nearest walker. Guess he can use it just fine. Emma remained crouched behind a car and silently cheered the mystery man on.

Too focused on him, she didn't notice until the same moment he did that more walkers had arrived. Oh god. The smashing sound attracted them. She looked back to him and watched him fight. The cutlass was working well for him. He was using it like a master whose been training for decades. She bit her lip. But he was getting surrounded anyway. He won't make it. There are way too many. Even if she ran out there now, it wouldn't be enough. She felt a twinge of sadness for the man. Why do I even care anyway? I should leave now before every walker in the town is here. She was about to stand up, but then she had to stop herself from gasping when one grabbed onto his arm. She was sure that he was done for, but then he brought his other hand-which ended in a literal hook -that he sunk into the skull of the walker. She hadn't caught that in her quick once over of his appearance before, but he was closer now and she saw him use it a few more times on the walkers effectively. A hook for a hand? She guessed it must be useful in the world they live in now, but still. A bit dramatic and flashy.

He almost made it. She was a bit impressed to say the least. He might be an idiot for attracting them in the first place, but this guy was clearly dangerous. He had killed so many of them and was just fighting stragglers now. He turned to kill another and she had to stop herself this time to keep from shouting a warning. He didn't see the body laying behind him and he was already careening backwards. He dropped his sword and when he hit the ground, she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to watch him die. She waited for him to scream or cry out, but it never came. Emma forced herself to look at him. The man wasn't dead…yet. The walker had his hook pinned and he was grasping it with one hand to keep its teeth away from his throat. He wouldn't last long like this. More were converging and he was obviously tired. Her chest panged again. He was seconds away from death.

Emma didn't know why she cared. Then she thought back to Claretta and the dog and just- she had to do this. Fuck. She didn't think anymore after that. She just grabbed her gun from her holster and leapt out to save this stranger.

She fired at the two walkers closest to him. If he could just hang on until she got there with her knife he would be okay. He jumped at the gunshot and seemed to give one final heave and killed his assailant with that damn hook again. Relief flooded her for a moment. He stood gripping his bloody cutlass and actually paused. He was staring. Was he not going to even try to escape now? Some of the walkers had noticed her entrance and she had her own battles to fight now.

"Are you a fucking idiot? Get moving," Emma shouted, unable to contain the emotion anymore. Now that he was no longer in imminent danger she thought about the two more bullets wasted on saving this man. He had better make it out of this alive.

He sprang into action again at her words. Emma was using her knife now and drove it easily into the foreheads of any walkers on this side of the fray. They needed a clear escape path. She drowned everything out and tried not to cringe when her arms and front were smeared with gore. This is the most she had fought at one time. This time, Emma didn't have time to look into their eyes. No time for empathy for the dead.

At last there were no more walkers near her. Her mind was still trying to disengage from purely survival mode when she finally got to see him up close. Her heart stopped when the rational part of her mind caught up with her actions. Now what? This guy could very well kill me now after everything. Or worse. Fear and apprehension clouded her thoughts and she raised her gun again to aim it right between the stranger's eyes. I have to make sure.

"If you try anything, I will kill you. I just saved your life but I can end it too," she spoke evenly, despite the apprehension. Meeting another living person at this point in the game was almost worse than the hoard. There is a certain predictability to the walkers... but people can surprise you. As they stood, Emma got a good look at him. He looks like a fucking pirate. The hook, the cutlass, the leather…Is this even real? She supposed it didn't matter. She wished she had thought of how she would handle this before saving him but it was too late now. I hope to God I didn't just waste my time saving some psychotic rapist. She didn't particularly like the thought of killing a healthy human. He stood frozen for a moment before lowering his own weapons.

"I mean you no harm, lass. I'm looking for some supplies. I didn't realize anyone lived here." Whoa. An Irish accent? His eyes were narrowed but clear and honest. He was telling the truth and she knew it. For now. The way he phrased that last comment made her chuckle. As if this was an average day in town and he had walked into her nice home on accident. She was barely living at all.

"No one lives anywhere," Emma spoke, her voice quickening, "Do you have a group? Are you alone? And you better not lie to me." She needed to know now if more people were going to come busting out of the woods in a moment. She couldn't deal with that. If he lied, she was just going to shoot him. She couldn't deal with a liar either. There were more walkers behind him and they didn't have time for this. She almost convinced herself he was going to lie and was already preparing herself to kill him.

"I have a crew. A ship full of them, actually. I just came from another place. I won't hurt you, lass, so I think we should move somewhere else and continue this conversation elsewhere." She almost shot him because it was too ridiculous. Is he really telling me he has a ship complete with a full crew just parked out there in the bay? She looked him over again and tried to remember if pirates even existed just before the event. She was pretty sure they didn't. Even his voice is rough and tense and lilted exactly like the pirates in every movie she had ever seen. But even with all the theatrics her instincts say he was telling the truth about having people out on the water and meaning her no harm. She could see it in his eyes and hear it ringing in his words. As long as that was true, it didn't matter if he liked to play pirate. She decided right then that she would at least hear him out. They didn't have time right now. She could always shoot him later if he tried anything anyway. But I hope I don't have to.

"Follow me." She only had one place to go. Back to Claretta's house. On the way there, Emma was already panicking. What am I going to do? Does he really have a ship? Is there somewhere safe?

Emma stopped. They reached the house. She heard him slow to a stop beside her and she moved to get her first real look at him. As soon as he caught her gaze, he actually smiled at her. A crooked, knowing grin. She hadn't seen anyone smile at her and mean it since…you know. But that wasn't what made her breath catch. His eyes were the bluest she had ever seen and his face was trimmed in dark stubble. He was attractive in a way she hadn't seen in a long time. Dark chest hair peaked out of his open leathers. He had large rings on his good hand and silver necklaces hanging from his neck. This entire man screamed pirate. She almost took a step back because his presence was so overwhelming. This doesn't look like any costume she had ever seen. His hook caught her eyes again. He really lost his hand and replaced it with a sharpened hook. As if he's Captain fucking Hook. That takes dedication or hardcore drugs or God knows what.

Now she was really panicking. I can't just bring him inside. What the hell was I thinking? Not only saving him, but then bringing him back to her only safe place? He could bring his people right to her front door. Fuck. She only had one option now. She couldn't trust this pirate-stranger yet. Emma hoped he would go down easy and gripped her gun again. Just as she moved forward to attack, he opened his mouth and asked "What is your name?" She didn't stop and hit him hard in the temple with the end of her gun. The man crumpled to the ground in front of her.

"Emma," she tells him quickly even though she was not sure he heard. He must have really wanted the answer to that question to have completely dropped his guard, she thought. My name though? Why suddenly..? She tried not to think about it anymore. It really wasn't that strange after all. She had saved his life. Too bad for him she knocked him out immediately afterward. Now, she had to drag his unconscious body inside.


Emma sat next to the bed she had left Hook (she was calling him that in her head now) on with a deep frown. After she checked him for obvious bites she had dragged him into the house and handcuffed him to the bedpost. Emma removed his hook from the leather harness on his arm. Just in case. She had also searched him for any weapons and had all his things laid out on the ground. It was perplexing to say the least. She hoped to get at least some answers from his belongings but they only made the man even more of an enigma. Who is this guy?

Hook had on his person a blood-soaked cutlass, an antique spyglass, an antique compass, a worn bag of what appeared to be solid gold coins minted with the names of countries she had never heard of, a small leather-bound notebook with lists of names and supplies and all manner of things written in a neat looping script, and a few other odd knickknacks that all looked right out of a history book. No ID. No gun. Not even a modern knife. Everything on him looked like he fell straight out of the 1700s. His clothing was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was nicer than any Halloween costume and had to be custom at least. Even his shoes looked handmade.

Emma was honestly half considering leaving him here with the key and just disappearing before he woke up. But one, she had nowhere else to go at the moment, and two, she was curious now. She needed answers. He would stay locked to the bed until he gave satisfactory ones. She just had to wait until he woke up. If he wakes up. She felt a slight twinge of guilt at hitting him so hard. Hopefully he's not injured too badly.

Emma's rumbling stomach reminded her that she had failed to get any more food and now there are two mouths here to feed. She can't even go back out today after all the commotion he caused. The walkers were in a frenzy out there.

So Emma just sat and studied this stranger. He was really rather attractive. His hair is dark and messy and stuck up in several places. He still had blood on his sleeves and all down his front from the fighting but it only added to his image. His jaw line was sharp and tense even while he slept. His half-exposed chest rose and fell and she again went over in her head what the hell could explain this. If he had dropped into her life a year ago, she wouldn't even entertain the kinds of thoughts she was now. But this is the same world where dead people stand back up…which should be impossible. Science couldn't explain the walkers. Without a heartbeat, there was no blood pumping. Without blood, there was nothing feeding your muscles. Without energy, your muscles simply cannot contract. There was no explanation for how the walkers managed to move around and function without the things life required. And this was just one place the science fell apart. Every organ in your body was necessary to keep you breathing...so why didn't they need any of them? These were the questions that she had never gotten a sufficient answer for.

So really, her mind was open. This man could be from anywhere. There were many explanations, of course. Maybe pirates really did still exist. Maybe he robbed a museum. Maybe he is Marty McFly's secret ancestor. Maybe I'm finally losing it.


AN:/ - 8/21/2014

Sorry this took so long everyone. I kindof lost interest in writing for a bit because I couldn't find a beta and its exceedingly difficult to beta your own fics. But now, I have one! So yeah. My interest is renewed and you should see more updates.

What do you think about their first meeting?

PS edit: Apparently this chapter isnt showing up to some people? And its been over an hour? I have no idea what is wrong. This site is killing me. Now I can't even see my own chapter and its disappeared off my statistics page, yet if I go to my profile it shows this story has 4 chapters and it wont let me add ch 4 again.